7000 Rally in Boston for Immigrants

By Fr. Robert J. Carr
Catholic Online

Boston--A pro-immigrant rally gathered an estimated 7000 men, women and children to promote justice in the current immigration debate in congress. The rally, a response to a house bill that proposed criminal status for the undocumented, featured calls by various speakers to bring a just form of immigration legislation.

Attendees sported an overwhelming number of American flags along with those from other countries including the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, and Brazil. Countries represented included those from Asia, Europe and the Americas. Among the speakers was a representative for Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, who could not attend the event, but who called for just immigration reform. Others included Boston City Councilor Felix Arroyo, the only Puerto Rican member of that legislative body.

Arroyo proclaimed that the immigrants have the right, the desire and the power to be here in the United States to the crowd of cheering supporters. Other speakers included members of the Black Clergy as well as Irish immigrants all calling for just immigration laws.

The rally organizers were members of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (www.miracoalition.org) a group of 80 groups that range from Catholic Charities to the American Civil Liberties Union.

There was a march through the streets from the Boston Common to Copley Square. The latter is more famous as the home to the finish line of the Boston Marathon. Among the speakers scheduled at press time to address the marchers at Copley Square was Boston's Cardinal Archbishop Sean P. O'Malley.

Messages from enemies of amnesty legislation were also present including a banner towed behind an airplane, flying above the rally, that called for enforcement of immigration laws and called for no amnesty for the undocumented. The banner did not identify the author of the message. Other complaints included one sign that called for "Illegal Immigrants" to be deported to the Vatican.

The Boston Rally was one of several held throughout the country this weekend and even more held over the past several months. An estimated 500,000 marched through the streets of Dallas this weekend.

The rallies were a response to the now defunct House Bill HR 4437 which proposed making undocumented aliens and those who assist them to be felons. This raised a specter of fear among the immigration community, the religious communities and others that the legislators planned to put everyone in jail from the undocumented student in high school to the soccer mom driving he and her son to a game.

Supporters of the bill indicated that this was neither the intent nor the concept of the bill which was more focused on stopping those who bring the undocumented across the borders.

Among those who called for a stop to the HR 4437 included Intel's Andrew Grove who likened it to similar legislation he encountered during the NAZI reign in Eastern Europe. Grove expressed his comments in the Wall Street Journal earlier this year.

There are an estimated 11 Million undocumented aliens in the United States. Many come across the border from Mexico or Canada. Others come legally and overstay their visas.

Concerns about legislation targeting the undocumented are that such people essentially are cutting in line in front of those who use legal channels to enter the country. Other concerns are that the undocumented are using tax payer funded methods of health care or that they are not paying taxes, yet are reaping the benefits. Immigration supporters indicate that many of the undocumented are indeed paying taxes.

Rallies are expected to continue and include a possible work stoppage by immigrants on May 1.

Contact

Catholicism Anew
http://www.revrobertjcarr.com MA, US
Fr. Robert J. Carr - Priest, 617 230-3300

Email

frbobcarr@hotmail.com

Keywords

immigration, Catholic Charities, Boston, hr4437

More Catholic PRWire

Showing 1 - 50 of 4,716

• « Prev
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• Next »

A Recession Antidote
Randy Hain

Monaco & The Vatican: Monaco's Grace Kelly Exhibit to Rome--A Review of Monegasque-Holy See Diplomatic History
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.

The Why of Jesus' Death: A Pauline Perspective
Jerom Paul

A Royal Betrayal: Catholic Monaco Liberalizes Abortion
Dna. Maria St.Catherine De Grace Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.

Embrace every moment as sacred time
Mary Regina Morrell

My Dad
JoMarie Grinkiewicz

Letting go is simple wisdom with divine potential
Mary Regina Morrell

Father Lombardi's Address on Catholic Media
Catholic Online

Pope's Words to Pontifical Latin American College
Catholic Online

Prelate: Genetics Needs a Conscience
Catholic Online

State Aid for Catholic Schools: Help or Hindrance?
Catholic Online

Scorsese Planning Movie on Japanese Martyrs
Catholic Online

2 Nuns Kidnapped in Kenya Set Free
Catholic Online

Holy See-Israel Negotiation Moves Forward
Catholic Online

Franchising to Evangelize
Catholic Online

Catholics Decry Anti-Christianity in Israel
Catholic Online

Pope and Gordon Brown Meet About Development Aid
Catholic Online

Pontiff Backs Latin America's Continental Mission
Catholic Online

Cardinal Warns Against Anti-Catholic Education
Catholic Online

Full Circle
Robert Gieb

Three words to a deeper faith
Paul Sposite

Relections for Lent 2009
chris anthony

Wisdom lies beyond the surface of life
Mary Regina Morrell

World Food Program Director on Lent
Catholic Online

Moral Clarity
DAN SHEA

Pope's Lenten Message for 2009
Catholic Online

A Prayer for Monaco: Remembering the Faith Legacy of Prince Rainier III & Princess Grace and Contemplating the Moral Challenges of Prince Albert II
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe

Keeping a Lid on Permissiveness
Sally Connolly

Glimpse of Me
Sarah Reinhard

The 3 stages of life
Michele Szekely

Sex and the Married Woman
Cheryl Dickow

A Catholic Woman Returns to the Church
Cheryl Dickow

Modernity & Morality
Dan Shea

Just a Minute
Sarah Reinhard

Catholic identity ... triumphant reemergence!
Hugh McNichol

Edging God Out
Paul Sposite

Burying a St. Joseph Statue
Cheryl Dickow

George Bush Speaks on Papal Visit
Catholic Online

Sometimes moving forward means moving the canoe
Mary Regina Morrell

Action Changes Things: Teaching our Kids about Community Service
Lisa Hendey

Easter... A Way of Life
Paul Spoisite

Papal initiative...peace and harmony!
Hugh McNichol

Proclaim the mysteries of the Resurrection!
Hugh McNichol

Jerusalem Patriarch's Easter Message
Catholic Online

Good Friday Sermon of Father Cantalamessa
Catholic Online

Papal Address at the End of the Way of the Cross
Catholic Online

Cardinal Zen's Meditations for Via Crucis
Catholic Online

Interview With Vatican Aide on Jewish-Catholic Relations
Catholic Online

Pope Benedict XVI On the Easter Triduum
Catholic Online

Holy Saturday...anticipation!
Hugh McNichol

• « Prev
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• Next »