wfn.org | Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service Welcomes Real Reform

[NEWS@ELCA.ORG]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

January 13, 2004

Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service Welcomes Real Reform
04-006-FI

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The head of Lutheran Immigration and
Refugee Service (LIRS) welcomed the spirit of immigration reform
President George Bush unveiled Jan. 7 in a proposed "Temporary
Worker Program," but he awaits permanent results.  LIRS is a
joint ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA), Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and Latvian Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America.
     LIRS President Ralston H. Deffenbaugh Jr. said Jan. 13,
"Regarding President Bush's temporary worker proposal, I have to
say my reactions are mixed."
     "LIRS hopes the president's speech will mark the beginning
of an important new debate about comprehensive immigration
reform," he said.
     "Evaluating President Bush's proposal in light of the
effects it will have on undocumented people shows that, while the
proposal has some positive components, it is only an initial step
in fixing our broken immigration system," Deffenbaugh said.
     Bush noted the history of immigration to the United States.
     "One of the primary reasons America became a great power in
the 20th century is because we welcomed the talent and the
character and the patriotism of immigrant families," Bush said.
"The contributions of immigrants to America continue.  About 14
percent of our nation's civilian workforce is foreign-born," he
said, adding that more than 35,000 foreign-born men and women
currently serve in the U.S. military.
     "As a nation that values immigration and depends on
immigration, we should have immigration laws that work and make
us proud.  Yet today we do not.  Instead, we see many employers
turning to the illegal labor market.  We see millions of hard-
working men and women condemned to fear and insecurity in a
massive, undocumented economy," Bush said.
     Bush said immigration policy should be based on four
principles: controlling borders, serving U.S. economic needs,
giving preference to legal immigrants and providing incentives
for temporary foreign workers to return to their home countries.
     Deffenbaugh said, "As a faith-based agency, LIRS is
committed to immigration policies that incorporate four core
principles: promoting family unity, making it possible for those
working 'below the radar' in our country to live openly within
the law in our society without fear, protecting human rights and
worker rights, and providing a path to permanence."
     "President Bush is correct in saying that America's
immigration system is broken, and his temporary worker proposal
will provide an opportunity to begin the debate on how best to
create long-term, comprehensive immigration reform that results
in 'immigration laws that work and make us proud,'" Deffenbaugh
said.
     "LIRS looks forward to working with the Bush administration
and Congress to continue the work of crafting real immigration
reform that unites families, ensures worker rights and human
rights, allows immigrant workers to live freely and openly in our
society, and gives those willing to contribute to our economy and
society a true path toward citizenship in the United States,"
Deffenbaugh added.
-- -- --
     The home page for Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service
is at http://www.lirs.org/ on the Web.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news