By Glenn Leach
Immigration has been controversial since the Native Americans realized that the white newcomers had not come to share the land with them. Immigration is again a topic of debate as President Barack Obama and Congress look at immigration reform. In many discussions, emotion is more evident than fact and many myths are in wide circulation. The purpose of this series of articles is to provide a historical context to the debate and to offer facts to counter some of the most often repeated misunderstandings about immigration.
The U.S. Catholic Church’s position on immigration flows from its experience as a persecuted immigrant minority in the U.S., and from Scripture. Abraham, Joseph, the nation of Israel and the Holy Family were all immigrants or refugees.
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