What is a good Catholic to do when it comes to immigration reform?
Are we to reflexively adopt any immigration proposal that comes along or be accused of turning our backs on immigrants?
How are we to balance the legitimate concerns about sovereignty with an easy path to citizenship for illegal immigrants?
Does respecting the legitimate rights and concerns of non-citizens mean that you must ignore the legitimate rights and concerns of citizens?
Is desiring reasonable legal status for millions of illegal immigrants insufficient anymore or is citizenship now the only test of compassion?
Is it morally right to reward illegal behavior with citizenship?
On the other hand, can we ignore our own practical and moral complicity in encouraging and benefiting from this illegal behavior?
If anyone can come here illegally and eventually obtain citizenship, doesn’t that make sovereignty practically meaningless?
Doesn’t the Catechism teach that sovereignty, law enforcement, and securing of the border are legitimate functions of a nation?
Speaking of borders, does it make me uncaring if I wonder if securing the border from further illegal immigration should be a pre-requisite to any discussion of paths to citizenship?
If I favor legal status, a right to work, legal protections for those we encouraged to come here as basic and deserved, but view citizenship as something that should not be earned with illegal behavior, am I a bad Catholic?
Am I wrong to consider an Amnesty now border protection later plan as a fools errand and tantamount to an invitation to millions of others to flout our sovereignty?
Must I be compelled to do foolish things that will exacerbate the problem in order to do the right thing for some?
Can I refuse to do foolish things that will exacerbate the problem when they are linked with some right things?
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