WHEREAS, On January 23, 1999, at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Pope John Paul II presented his apostolic exhortation Ecclesia in America, and the bishops of Mexico and the United States, seeking to awaken faith communities to the mysterious presence of the crucified and risen Lord in the person of the migrant and to renew in them the values of the Kingdom of God that he proclaimed,
WHEREAS , the Rio Grande Valley, located on the border between the United States and Mexico, has long maintained shared heritage, tradition, and friendship as well as close economic and familial ties with Mexico; and
WHEREAS, Catholic Church opposes any law which brings the potential or likelihood of violating the civil and human rights of individuals by expanding racial profiling and which brings the increased probability of separating families by increasing arrests, deportation, and detention of individuals; and
WHEREAS, considering our state’s current fiscal and budgetary crisis we believe that these types of bills will have a negative impact on our state business relationship with our partners to the South; carrying dire consequences in particular for the Rio Grande Valley’s economy; and
WHEREAS, our community believes any such law to be out of step with the rules of basic civility, humanity and the human rights of all individuals; and
WHEREAS, the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops have continually argued for the just treatment with dignity of all those who enter the United States; and
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT Catholic Church is opposed to the numerous anti-Hispanic, anti-immigrant bills that have recently been introduced in the Texas Legislature.
PASSED AND APPROVED on this ___ day of _______ 2010.
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(Organization Name)
