ould you commit to do something in support of those living in fear in the USA to help them find a path to citizenship?

You might think twice, we know, like most of us. Yet, in this Lenten Season we are especially attuned to the needs of the poor.

Our fasting reminds us that there is a deep hunger within us, a hunger no food can satisfy, a hunger to live out our God-given potential in order to contribute to the ongoing struggle and journey to draw all of our brothers and sisters one day to the heart of God. Our almsgiving provides one way to reach out to help the poor and needy. Our prayer calls us to widen our circle of concern to include all who hunger for justice. 

We invite you to read and reflect upon the following story: 

Elisa, Connie’s sister, entered the U.S. 10 years ago, a single mom raising her 4 children who were all born here in the U.S.

“My sister Elisa was on her way home from work. She was going to stop to put gas in the car, just a block away from where she works. At the corner near the gas station Elisa came to a stop light, and in the opposite direction is a police officer. The officer notices Elisa driving without her seatbelt and no plates on the front of the car she had just bought. As she is making the turn into the gas station the officer pulls her over and asked her for a driver’s license, and driver’s insurance. Elisa does not have a license because she is un-documented.” 

I could not understand yet why she was in the county jail. As Connie continued it became clearer: the officer took her purse and went through it and found she was carrying a false social security card and she was charged with identity fraud. I told Connie she needed to come up with the bail money and get her sister out as soon as possible. 

I spent a few hours away from my family as I waited to post her bond on a Sunday afternoon while she had spent 3 days away from her family. I spent those hours in a very uncomfortable setting while Elisa spent her hours in a dreadful setting. Then the court date came. I felt the knots in my stomach; I could not even imagine what Elisa’s stomach was going through. At this point we did not know if she would also be facing deportation. With such short notice we could not get representation, just a lot of advice. Well after this incident with Elisa I felt ready to go and lobby on driver’s certificates. I had enough talking points, but I did not have the opportunity. When the driver’s certificate came to a vote in the state legislature, we fell short by 7 votes. I wonder if Elisa’s story would have had an impact on those who voted against the bill.

On a good note Elisa’s felony charge was amended to a misdemeanor charge, and there is not a deportation order for her. Here’s a hardworking person, trying to raise a family and be part of a community and country, who is forced to fabricate an identity to do so; who must cower from the police; who is dragged into and through the criminal justice system which is overwhelmed with other burdens. The cost to Connie and the cost to society are high and unnecessary. She still lives, like hundreds of thousands of other mothers in her situation, in fear. But it need not be that way… Responsible, respectful immigration reform can remove that fear and bring so many of our brothers and sisters fully into the American dream.

We know that there are many in this country who live here in fear. These are millions of undocumented men, women and children who struggle day-to-day in menial labor, paying taxes, buying homes, contributing to our communities, yet unable to obtain driver’s licenses and to participate fully in the American dream. 

Much media attention is focused on the immigrants themselves; however, the real problem is an economic system which has required as many as 300,000 new laborers each year and a political system that grants only 5,000 worker visas each year. Exacerbating the flow of undocumented workers to this country has been the failure of NAFTA and CAFTA to shore up the economies of our Latin American brothers and sisters.