By: David Safier
BLOG FOR ARIZONA: Catholic Bishops Pan Kobach/Romney Alliance, Support National Immigration Reform
It's significant this statement by Catholic bishops comes out of Salt Lake City, since the Utah Compact supporting a humane approach to immigration reform has been supported by the Mormon Church.
At the three day U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops immigration conference, the keynote speaker, John Wester, bishop of Salt Lake City’s Catholic Archdiocese, came out strongly against the Kris Kobach-style state anti-immigration laws (Kobach was the principal author of SB 1070) and said he was "sad" to hear Romney had embraced Kobach's endorsement.
“We need leadership on immigration reform, and we’ve seen these state-based approaches don’t work,” Wester said. “We can’t just have people put their finger up in the wind to see which way it’s blowing. . . .
“A system of 50 state laws which supplant federal authority is untenable,” Wester said. “I hope the Supreme Court agrees with this assessment in the Arizona case. In this regard, I call upon our own Legislature in Utah — soon to convene —to pass a resolution to direct our Utah congressional delegation to lead the way forward in Congress toward humane reform of our laws.”
Wester was one of the key signers of the Utah Compact.
As part of Romney's more-conservative-than-thou campaign pandering, he is crowing about Kobach's recent endorsement which gives him much-needed immigrant-bashing bona fides. Plays great in South Carolina. However, leaders of both the Mormon and Catholic churches seem to disagree with his harsh, inhumane position.
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