The Dominican Women’s  Congregations of Amityville, Blauvelt, Hope, Sparkill, and Caldwell, N.J., have issued a corporate statement expressing their concern that “our present immigration law is badly broken and in need of reform.”
The Sisters state that the current immigration policy ignores the human situation of separated families and the oppressive living conditions that force people to migrate.
They called for “a compassionate and comprehensive” immigration law that:
• Provides the processes for undocumented persons to achieve permanent residency and citizenship without leaving the United States
• Creates legal avenues for migration
• Assures family unity for immigrant families
• Provides guaranteed human rights and labor protections for undocumented workers — and all workers
• Addresses the root causes of migration by protecting the human rights of workers internationally
The Sisters asked people to educate themselves by staying informed of developments in immigration legislation, and to continue to advocate for and provide education on immigration reform in their ministries, parishes and with other concerned groups.
They also requested that citizens contact local and federal legislators to support the issue of “a just reform of immigration laws.”