The Catholic priests and bishops are soon to walk in a political rally in an attempt to demand modification of the existing immigration policy. The Catholics are the only religious group in Congress, having over 30 per cent of the members in the House, including Speaker John A. Boehner and 60 other Republican senator. In September, they planned to openly back the legislative overhauling that allows unofficial immigrants to get the citizenship of United States of America.
The effort of the Catholics started on the auspicious day of the Feast of the Assumption of Saint Mary. They will continue with this endeavor until mid October, when the House members are expected to vote for the immigration decree. The rally will include priests, bishops, and pastors from major cities like Chicago, Cincinnati, Los Angeles, Brooklyn and San Antonio.
The ecclesiastical political campaign in a way will support the President Barrack Osama’s clarion call for amendment in the immigration law. The movement by the local priests will certainly affect the political scenario. Ali Noorani, the executive director of National Immigration Forum says that the bonding between the priest and his flock is amazing; it will surely make a positive effect. They are the same group to exert influence over Obama and severely criticize him regarding his support to issues like abortion, birth control same-sex marriage etc. Ms. Munoz, who is leading Mr. Obama’s immigration effort, said that the Catholics had long been supporters of immigration revamp. The recent rally will further enhance their attempt.
Unlike the Democrats, the representatives reacted in an adverse way. Steve King, a Representative of Iowa said that some Catholic senators might accept the guidance of the priest because they are willing to give in, anyway. It will persuade them because they are by now under political pressure to pass an immigration law.
In contrary to Steve King there are some who have high opinion to such kind of approaches. Angela Kelley, the Vice president of immigration policy at the centre for American Progress says hopefully that the involvement of the religious leaders might have a positive impact on the entire issue. When they spoke about issues like health care or abortion people listen to them so people would also heed their preaching about immigration reform. The religious organization that provided support is the Evangelical Immigration Table with more than $400,000 radio ad campaign on religious talk show. This will be aired in 56 Congressional districts of 14 states.
A major pilgrimage has already begun towards California that started from Sacremento. Another pilgrimage is to start from the district of Virginia in September. It is planned to pass through the districts of two Congressmen Eric Cantor, the minority leader and Robert w. Goodlatte, the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.
David Valadao, a Catholic Republican said that he is supporting the cause of immigration reform as well as the citizenship for unlawful immigrants, who live mainly in the agricultural districts of California. He thought that the preaching and the conversation would certainly yield positive result for the movement by channelizing public response.
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