By Victoria Arthur, Statehouse Correspondent for Indiana’s Catholic Newspapers
As immigration issues dominate public policy discussions at the national and state levels, the Catholic Church in Indiana is adding its voice to the debate with a call to place human dignity at the forefront.
The Indiana Catholic Conference (ICC) — the public policy voice of the Catholic Church in Indiana — has echoed these sentiments in recent testimony concerning immigration-related bills that have been introduced at the Statehouse.
Among this high-profile legislation is House Bill 1393, which would require local police to notify federal authorities if they have probable cause that a person they arrested for a felony or misdemeanor is an undocumented immigrant. The bill is moving forward at the Statehouse despite concerns of potential overreach raised by advocates including the ICC.
“The Church teaches that the federal government, in cooperation with state and local governments, has a responsibility to maintain public safety and if necessary to detain and deport undocumented immigrants who harm U.S. citizens and other immigrants,” said Alexander Mingus, executive director of the ICC, during a Jan. 23 hearing on the measure in the House Veterans Affairs and Public Safety Committee.
But he emphasized to lawmakers that the Church is deeply concerned about the “unwritten impact” of this bill on immigrant communities at large.
“The Church cares about these immigrants because they possess, as all humans do, an inalienable dignity despite their immigration status,” Mingus said.
With the state’s focus increasingly shifting to identification and deportation of undocumented immigrants, Mingus said that the bishops of Indiana “remind us that immigration enforcement should always be targeted, proportionate and humane.”
“The flaws in our federal immigration system have been caused by years of minimal federal immigration reform that has perpetuated real national security threats — the presence of drug cartels, human trafficking, drug trafficking and violent crime,” Mingus continued. “It is most concerning that these real issues hide among the men and women and children who are really suffering and who are in great need of loving care.
“If we emphasize enforcement without adequate reforms in the system, we will certainly ensnare those immigrants who have become valued members of our communities,” Mingus said during a hearing on the bill in the House Local Government Committee. “While we understand that your intent is to keep Hoosier citizens safe, an intent that is laudable, we ask you to instead prioritize policies that are not solely focused on enforcement, but rather assisting the federal government in a twofold pursuit of public safety and solidarity with our migrant brothers and sisters in need.”
To follow priority legislation of the ICC, visit www.indianacc.org. This website includes access to ICAN, the Indiana Catholic Action Network, which offers the Church’s position on key issues. Those who sign up for ICAN receive alerts on legislation moving forward and ways to contact their elected representatives.