Inferring that their opponents are like Nazis, 49 priests of the archdiocese yesterday published a misleading anti-McConnell, anti-Rand Paul statement in the The Record (See Bottom of Page 9), the Archdiocese of Louisville’s left-leaning newspaper. Deficient by reason of factual omissions and name-calling, the statement is unbecoming of any Catholic, much less a group of priests. Were the same name-calling applied to Catholics who are indifferent to the travesties of abortion and homoerotic addiction, the outcry from the left in the Church would be deafening. Some additional facts are helpful to add appropriate perspective.

First, the priests write as though “the present US Administration” is uniquely anti-immigrant. They fail to mention that immigration has been serious issue and problem for years in the West, including here in Kentucky. Where were these priest under the Obama administration? This problem is not new.

The statement asserts concern that “so many of our faithful immigrant and refugee parishioners, … are being arrested and deported,” but according to recent Courier-Journal stories, Here, ICE has targeted criminals and illegal re-entrants, not “faithful” parishioners, and ICE has arrested only some 350 persons in Kentucky, while the illegal immigrant population here is estimated to be 45,000 t0 50,000. Courier-Journal and WDRB. One can hardly call this an unreasonable enforcement effort.

The Courier-Journal shared some recent statistics in an article in February, 2017:
“Of those [53], 22 had been convicted of crimes such as DUI, burglary, drug possession, wanton endangerment, theft and illegal re-entry, and 11 had been previously deported.” Over 60 percent were less than “faithful immigrants”. Some others were incidental arrests, not targeted.

ICE pointed out some specific examples: Here.
“Following are two case examples of those arrested in Kentucky during this operation:

• A 30-year-old Mexican national with prior convictions for DUI, shoplifting, 4th degree sexual assault 4th, battery, and domestic violence. He was arrested May 11 in Lexington and remains in ICE custody pending deportation proceedings.
• A 43-year-old Mexican national with prior convictions for domestic violence, assault, aggravated assault-police strong arm, and terroristic threatening. She was arrested May 11 in Lexington and was deported to Mexico June 13.

The fathers complain that they “look for evidence of some sensible, thoughtful, national program to deal positively and fairly with the complex issues of immigration….” One looks in vain for the elements of the program they propose. Apparently, heat is easier than light. What KyCPAC cannot figure out is how name-calling improves the situation and why a Catholic paper would publish such useless blather.

We need to understand the existing structure and identify the actual problems instead of opposing enforcement of law and all limits on immigration.

UPDATE re: Migrant Caravan
Some say we must give the invaders asylum because they are in danger in Honduras, their home country. Perhaps, they once were in danger, but they did not go to the US Embassy to apply for asylum. Instead they undertook to invade the US and left Honduras. In doing so, they are now in Mexico where they are safe. The need for asylum not longer exists.