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News from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

June 6, 1996

IMMIGRATION

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America "has its roots
in the immigration of past generations and takes its
commitment to refugees and immigrants very seriously,"
Kay S. Dowhower wrote May 22 to members of
Congress working on compromise legislation for the
Immigration Control and Financial Responsibility Act.
Dowhower directs the Lutheran Office for Governmental
Affairs, the ELCA's federal public policy advocacy office
in Washington, D.C.  The U.S. House and Senate passed
similar immigration bills, and Dowhower wants the final
version to include parts of each.  A House amendment
would exempt the sponsors of legal immigrants from
financial responsibility, to avoid a sponsor's neglect
resulting in legal immigrants being denied benefits that are
provided illegal immigrants.  A Senate amendment would
exempt certain charitable organizations from verifying the
immigration status of the people they serve.  Dowhower
also asked the conference committee to oppose five
amendments, including one that would deny education to
undocumented children.  "We believe that regardless of
their citizenship, all human beings are equally entitled to
what they need to live in meaningful relationship to God
and neighbor," wrote Dowhower.  "A society's health can
be measured by how it treats those in its midst who are
most impoverished, who often are refugees and
non-citizens."

[ELCA News and Information: 8765 W. Higgins Road,
Chicago, IL   60631; phone 312/380-2963]