wfn.org | NCC criticizes Arizona law as unjust and dangerous

["Philip Jenks" <pjenks@ncccusa.org>]

Religious leaders say new Arizona immigration law
is unjust, dangerous and contrary to biblical teaching

See: www.ncccusa.org/news/100426arizonalaw.html

New York, April 26, 2010 -- The National Council of Churches and other  
religious organizations have sharply criticized Arizona's new  immigration law 
as fundamentally unjust, dangerous to citizens and  non-citizens alike, and a 
rejection of centuries-old biblical precepts  of justice and neighborliness.

The Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon, NCC General Secretary, who last week  urged 
Arizona Governor Jan Brewer to veto the legislation, reiterated  the view of 
NCC member communions and Arizona religious leaders "that  this legislation 
will not contribute to the reform of our nation's  immigration system" and may 
stimulate similar anti-immigrant legislation  throughout the country.

Governor Brewer signed the measure into law April 23.

The new law makes it a crime to fail to carry immigration documents and  gives 
law enforcement authority to detain anyone suspected of being in  the country 
illegally.

"In addition to the basic unjustness of the law, the fact that police  now have 
vaguely defined but broad powers to stop anyone on suspicion of  being an 
undocumented immigrants creates an unacceptable potential for  wide-spread 
police harassment and creates a danger for citizens as well  as non-citizens," 
Kinnamon said.

The Rev. Dr. David Leslie, Executive Director of the Ecumenical  Ministries of 
Oregon and chair of the National Council of  Churches/Church World Service 
Immigration Task Force, said, "The task  force is committed to further 
mobilizing churches across the nation to  oppose this type of legislation in 
other states, as well as work for the  overturning of the legislation in 
Arizona. We will also continue our  efforts to push forward real immigration 
reform based on the shared  religious principles of true justice, dignity of 
all people and the rule  of law that protects all people fairly."

In signing the bill, Governor Brewer said she would ensure that the  police are 
trained to implement the law without violating citizen's  rights. But she 
contended the law provides an indispensable tool for the  police in a border 
state where illegal immigration is rife. She said  racial profiling would not 
be tolerated, adding, "We have to trust our  law enforcement."  

But Kinnamon expressed doubt the law could be enforced with that kind of  care.

"This law will detract law enforcement from dealing with the criminal  element, 
increase racial profiling, (and) cause even greater distress to  families and 
society in general as large immigrant populations would be  pushed even further 
into the shadows of our communities," he said.
In addition, the law undermines "the efforts of institutions like the  ones we 
serve to build communities of justice and peace for all people,"  Kinnamon 
said.       

NCC News contact:  Philip E. Jenks, 212-870-2228 (office),  646-853-4212 
(cell), pjenks@ncccusa.org