Catholic church hides illegals?

Question

With the crack down on illegal immigrants in my area, the illegals have been running to hide in the catholic church! How, and why can the catholic church get away with this? Anybody know?

Answer 1

It's complicated...

Legally speaking, It is right for an immigrant to come to America and assimilate into society through the legal means provided by the host country.

However, the American immigration system is in such utter chaos as to make legal immigration needlessly difficult for those who wish to do it right, and inexplicably easy for those who wish to do it illegally. In other words, the immigration system as it now exists is encouraging immigrants to choose illegal means.

Theologically speaking, the Catholic Church has always encouraged people to be good followers of Christ as well as good citizens of their country, so long as the interest's of both don't conflict. "Render to Caesar that which is Caesar's and to God the things that are God's.

The Catholic Church has always looked out for the well fare of the downtrodden. The Corporal Works of Mercy say as much:
Feed the hungry
Give drink to the thirsty
Cloth the naked
Shelter the homeless
Visit the sick
Visit the imprisoned
Bury the dead

These are works that are down objectively, unconditionally. It doesn't matter how someone became hungry, thirsty, naked, homeless, sick, imprissoned, dead. By virtue of their dignity as human beings, they are entitled to compassion from fellow human beings who have things better than they do.

The Church recognizes that America's current immigration system is collapsed. The only productive way of getting into America is by "illegal" means. No doubt the Church realizes that "illegal" entry into America constitutes a breach of rendering to Caesar that which is Caesar's.

But, again, it's not the immigrant's fault that America's immigration system is as chaotic as it is. It is the system's fault, not the immigrant, that proper rendering to Caesar has not occurred.

Rendering or no rendering to Caesar, we - all of us - are obligated to render to God that which is God's. That means the Corporal Works of Mercy.

This is what the Church is trying to accomplish by providing sanctuary to illegal immigrants. As a previous answer already pointed out, the Church has a long history of providing sanctuary - and thus saving lives - of those who are persecuted. The Church takes an active interest in helping those who are persecuted because the Church itself was once subject to violent persecution, still is in some parts of the world.

Separation of Church and State dictates that the American government is powerless to influence Church beliefs, practices, Doctrines, and Traditions. That is why the Church is allowed to provide sanctuary to those it deems fit, without the interference of the government.

Is it illegal? That all depends on how you define illegal. Who's law, or Law are you measuring these circumstances by, and has that law or Law been violated?

Has the Church violated political law? Before you can answer that, you have to know whether or not the Catholic Church is subject to it. And then you have to take into consideration that the, regardless of what earthly political law deems fit to declare legal and illegal, the Church appeals to a Higher Power with Absolute definitions for what is legal and illegal.

I told you, it's complicated.

Answer 2

The Catholic Church
Has been hiding pedophiles for hundreds of years, why would they not hide illegal immigrants?

BTW Charlotte P, not ALL illegal immigrants are Mexican or even Hispanic, however, they are all 100% illegal.

It's illegal to shoot somebody, it's illegal to smoke weed... it's also illegal to enter a country (U.S. or not) without going through the proper procedures.

Answer 3

Because the church has a long standing tradition of hiding those that they believe to be persecuted - it's called sanctuary. However, I do not know of any law (USA) that actually grants and condones the use of sanctuary.

Answer 4

Churches (houses of God) have long been considered sanctuaries for people, hiding from the law, immigration and basically you get my point.

I dont know how or when but its like an unspoken law (maybe its spoken or written i dont know) that people can flee there knowing they are safe.

Answer 5

Churches are sanctuaries for people who are being unfairly targeted. It goes back to the old days. Police won't go in there.

Answer 6

legally they cant. The authorities are just being courteous at this point

Speak out about it...pull an al sharpton...pressure them into busting the churches