July 21, 2006

More than 150 religious leaders and representatives of a broad spectrum of faith traditions joined members of Congress July 12 to affirm their common commitment to comprehensive immigration reform during a conference and advocacy day entitled "Faith and Migration."

The Episcopal Church was among the religious bodies sponsoring the conference, with the Church's Office of Government Relations and Episcopal Migration Ministries directly involved in planning and organization.

The timing of the conference coincided with an escalating national debate on immigration legislation now before Congress, and was intended to counter the efforts of some members of the House of Representatives to promote an enforcement-only bill. Hearings are being held in various parts of the country emphasizing border control and security as the exclusive premises upon which the US immigration system should be reformed.

The conference underscored the strong feelings of religious leaders that, in spite of their different belief systems, they share a common moral perspective that immigrants coming to the US need to be treated fairly and compassionately.

Episcopal News Service