Pope To Congress: Don’t Turn Backs On Undocumented Immigrants
Pope Francis spoke up for the undocumented while addressing Congress Thursday.
“On this continent, too, thousands of persons are led to travel north in search of a better life for themselves and for their loved ones, in search of greater opportunities,” he said of migrants from Central and South America, indicating they needed to be treated as people seeking refuge rather than as exploiting the United States’ porous borders.
He continued, “We must not be taken aback by their numbers, but rather view them as persons, seeing their faces and listening to their stories, trying to respond as best we can to their situation.”
Copyright 2015 Liberaland
82 responses to Pope To Congress: Don’t Turn Backs On Undocumented Immigrants
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Gindy51 September 24th, 2015 at 12:14
Good luck with that one, Pope F. Maybe if the immigrants were all blond haired blue eyed folk you might have a chance convincing the wingnut cotillion.
anothertoothpick September 24th, 2015 at 13:10
…and just like Jesus and the pope they spoke American.
illinoisboy1977 September 24th, 2015 at 13:22
Color makes no difference. I don’t care what race they are. ALL illegals should be deported, whether they’re Mexican, Chinese or Scandinavian. What matters to me, is the fact that people work hard to immigrate legally. It’s a slap in the face to those LAW-ABIDING people, to allow the scofflaws to stay.
Robert Smithson September 24th, 2015 at 16:55
Will the Pope start “walking the walk” and open Vatican City to undocumented immigrants? Don’t hold your breath.
Mimihaha September 24th, 2015 at 17:19
He’s taken in at least one family in an apartment in his home.
BigDumbWhiteGuy September 24th, 2015 at 18:00
Have you ever been to the Vatican? There isn’t exactly a whole lot of room for land development.
arc99 September 24th, 2015 at 18:16
Will you admit how completely wrong you are?
I won’t hold my breath
http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/europes-border-crisis/pope-francis-calls-parishes-house-refugee-families-says-vatican-will-n422561
Pope Francis Calls on Parishes to House Refugee Families, Says Vatican Will Do Same
Larry Schmitt September 24th, 2015 at 12:16
I listened to most of it. The majority in congress, and their NRA overlords, will not be happy with what he said about guns.
Suzanne McFly September 24th, 2015 at 16:00
That is beautiful, I am so happy he is playing that tune as well as climate change and immigration.
Robert Smithson September 24th, 2015 at 12:23
My good Pope Francis, we are a sovereign nation with borders and laws and we now have over 11 million illegal immigrants here in our nation and they are treated just fine. Our financial resources are being strained to the breaking point so we really don’t need any more people at this time. The fact is that we legally allow more people from around the world to come here than any nation on earth, so please don’t lecture us on this issue.
arc99 September 24th, 2015 at 12:47
It is the ultimate example of karma. What goes around comes around.
500 years ago, the immigrants showed up on these shores seeking a better life. I fail to see how the people coming across our southern border in the 21st century are any different.
Obviously, a nation does have the right to secure its borders. The native American tribes of the mid Atlantic region should have done that centuries ago. But my point here is that we have no grounds to lecture the Pope since our country was created by the exact same kind of immigration that we now seek to stop.
illinoisboy1977 September 24th, 2015 at 13:14
Our ancestors didn’t just immigrate, they conquered. In order to keep that from happening again, we DO need to secure our border and strictly enforce immigration regulations. I don’t intend to allow anyone to come into this nation and tell me we have to change the way we live, because THEIR culture disagrees with it.
whatthe46 September 24th, 2015 at 13:22
“…tell me we have to change the way we live, because THEIR culture disagrees with it.” sounds a lot like what the repigs and so called “christians” attempt to do every damn day.
illinoisboy1977 September 24th, 2015 at 13:26
They’re Americans. If they want to work toward change, that’s okay. Same as with the Democrats, or any other American individual or group. But, I’ll be damned if I let someone come here from another country and try to make this one more like the one he/she just left.
whatthe46 September 24th, 2015 at 13:50
and who is trying to do that?
rg9rts September 24th, 2015 at 14:46
Chitown common loon
rg9rts September 24th, 2015 at 14:45
You paranoid??? We have a pill for that
tracey marie September 24th, 2015 at 23:23
cyanide
rg9rts September 25th, 2015 at 03:39
Evil woman LOL
bpollen September 24th, 2015 at 23:05
Oh, yeah, they bring horrible things like single-payer health care, 75% or more reduction in prescription costs, aversion to war… you know, all them TERRIBLE ideas.
Mr. Silly September 25th, 2015 at 00:46
You should stage protests in the Chinatowns around the US, hit Little Italy in NYC (and Chicago too), then hit the various Germantowns across the MidWest, then go after the Amish and Pennsylvania Dutch, and then the Czech towns all over Texas, then the thousands of other ethnic enclaves.
fahvel September 25th, 2015 at 03:34
you elitist creep!!!!
illinoisboy1977 September 25th, 2015 at 18:47
Why, thank you! However, it’s not elitist to elevate your countrymen above illegal foreigners. It’s called “national pride”.
jasperjava September 25th, 2015 at 09:43
That’s what they said about the Irish, the Jews, the Italians, the Germans, the Chinese, and about every other ethnic group that came to these shores. Now these people are just considered Americans.
The identity of the immigrant changes, the hateful bigots remain the same.
illinoisboy1977 September 25th, 2015 at 18:14
The Irish, Jews, Italians, Germans and Chinese integrated into American culture. They have their own ethnic identities and traditions, but they don’t try to hold other Americans to their homelands’ cultural standards. Mexican students in California were seen taking the American flag down from their school and raising the Mexican flag, in its place. Muslim youth in Dearborn attacked a group of Christian street preachers, at an outdoor fair, because they didn’t want them proselytizing. That’s not what I’d consider to be “integration”.
jasperjava September 25th, 2015 at 18:34
Previous waves of immigrants have been accused of similar things, of refusing to learn English, refusing to integrate, of being gangsters and criminals, of having strange customs and religions, of cooking food that was alien and disgusting to American tastes, of disrespecting our traditions and institutions, etc.
Your xenophobia is nothing new. It has been a fixture of anti-immigrant sentiment for over a century and a half.
whatthe46 September 25th, 2015 at 09:55
what immigrant has come into this country and tried to make it like the country they left? stop talking stupid.
rg9rts September 24th, 2015 at 14:44
Like the teabaggers and wing nut christians??
arc99 September 24th, 2015 at 16:17
just speaks to my point about karma.
we will never tolerate someone else doing to us what we did to native Americans.
I just think that all of our opinions on immigration should be tempered by that ironic reality.
illinoisboy1977 September 24th, 2015 at 16:25
Exactly. I won’t allow someone to come in here and do what we did to the Indians. If they want MY country, they can kill me for it. Or, at least they can try…
bpollen September 24th, 2015 at 23:03
That’s what we did to the indigenous populations, we killed ’em Raped their women, took their land, murdered their children.
Really telling that you see the parallels, but learn NOTHING from them. And the ignorant descendents of the people who come and kill you and take all you own will ALSO fail to see the parallels in any sort of larger context.
tracey marie September 24th, 2015 at 23:22
you will allow or disallow nothing
fahvel September 25th, 2015 at 03:33
good luck to them then!
bpollen September 24th, 2015 at 22:56
Conquered? Nice sounding word, seems so noble when you put it that way. But what they did was STEAL it from the people who were already here. Manifest Destiny, my big white ass!
tracey marie September 24th, 2015 at 23:22
who is telling you to stop being and asshole, your mom?
whatthe46 September 24th, 2015 at 23:33
hahahahahaha
fahvel September 25th, 2015 at 03:32
they did not conquer – they deceived and then slaughtered until the greatest genocide in human history was complete.
illinoisboy1977 September 25th, 2015 at 18:48
That’s conquering. We killed them and took their land.
rg9rts September 24th, 2015 at 14:44
But But But they are the wrong color and speak a foreign language
anothertoothpick September 24th, 2015 at 13:09
These imagrants roots go back to long before anybody even dreamed of the US.
bpollen September 24th, 2015 at 22:54
“over 11 million illegal immigrants here in our nation and they are treated just fine. ”
Arpaio. Case closed.
tracey marie September 24th, 2015 at 23:21
because money os more important then people…to your kind
Robert Smithson September 25th, 2015 at 09:14
Looks like that little girl who ran up to the Pope was a setup. According to AP, the “spontaneous” incident has been planned for a year by an immigrant rights group.
tracey marie September 25th, 2015 at 11:09
poor you, attacking children because you are angry.
anothertoothpick September 24th, 2015 at 13:07
We love you El Papa
illinoisboy1977 September 24th, 2015 at 13:11
This is why there’s a separation between church and state. The church doesn’t see the very real necessity of border enforcement and deportation of illegal entrants and those who overstay their visa. We can’t continue to allow people to enter, or remain in, this country illegally. They violated the law and there should be consequences for it.
BigDumbWhiteGuy September 24th, 2015 at 17:55
Oddly enough, some of the most outspoken people in regards to illegal immigration are the same ones that would happily tear down the separation between church and state. Just an observation, obviously you’re not advocating that. Other than that, yeah, what you said.
cecilia September 24th, 2015 at 18:16
and those same people would happily flush the entire Constitution down the toilet
tracey marie September 24th, 2015 at 23:20
yet the Israel theocracy’s leader was invited to speak to congress by the rwnj’s… go figure
illinoisboy1977 September 25th, 2015 at 18:50
And the President just hosted the Pope. Your point?
whatthe46 September 25th, 2015 at 19:04
millions of Americans hosted the Pope. only a hand full of ignorant idiots of the rwnj’s hosted bibi.
tracey marie September 25th, 2015 at 20:38
Only the President may engage in diplomacy, the congress are traitors
illinoisboy1977 September 26th, 2015 at 14:10
There is no law, which prohibits members of Congress from engaging with foreign dignitaries.
tracey marie September 26th, 2015 at 14:28
Yes there is, stop being a dunce. The President is in charge of foreign relations and diplomacy thrue his diplomatic ranks. Congress making an end round during diplomatic talks and negotiations is illegal
illinoisboy1977 September 26th, 2015 at 23:06
They’re fully authorized to speak to foreign leaders of state. Please, what law prohibits this? I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a prohibition spelled out in statute.
fahvel September 25th, 2015 at 03:29
there’s a song: “I only use my gun when kindness fails” – seems like the kindness part is not of major interest to the us.
amersham46 September 24th, 2015 at 13:15
Ironic , The Pope telling all those claiming that America was created as a Christian nation to start acting like Christians
rg9rts September 24th, 2015 at 14:41
Who were the buttwipes in uniform sitting in the front and center of the audience that sat on their hands??????
NW10,PATRIOT! ✓ᵛᵉʳᶦᶠᶦᵉᵈ September 24th, 2015 at 15:01
You just KNOW the right wingers in the audience wanted to scream “YOU LIE!” at the Pope.
bpollen September 25th, 2015 at 06:32
Where’s Joe Wilson’s lack of decorum when they need it?
Suzanne McFly September 24th, 2015 at 15:57
I heard that today the Pope was asked to eat lunch with members of Congress and he said no, he wanted instead to eat lunch with people who work for Catholic Charities. Everyday he makes my respect for him grow that much more.
bpollen September 25th, 2015 at 06:31
Not just Catholic Charities staff, but also their homeless clients.
Suzanne McFly September 25th, 2015 at 09:21
That makes it even better :)
Robert M. Snyder September 24th, 2015 at 19:33
Mr. Bergoglio, tear down that wall!
bpollen September 24th, 2015 at 22:51
Anti-Papist! Schismatic! Heretic!
Yeah, you are all up in arms NOW about a nearly 500 year old wall.
Gonna bitch at Hadrian or Qin Shi Huang next?
Robert M. Snyder September 24th, 2015 at 22:57
You left out the White House fence.
tracey marie September 24th, 2015 at 23:18
protection from your type of crazy
bpollen September 24th, 2015 at 23:52
No, you did. I couldn’t tell you who built the first fence around 1600… Additionally, the wall around Vatican City, Hadrian’s Wall, and the Great Wall were built for both political and safety reasons – to prevent armed invasions. The White House had to be rebuilt after the last armed invasion. over 200 years ago, in 1814. A wall was built around part of the grounds for the purposes of corralling livestock! before it was burned down. Then, they built a large gate… that was open all day. It wasn’t until post-WWII that the gates were closed for good.
Ergo, the White House wall is and has always been functionally different in comparison to the Vatican Wall (which is the border of the smallest sovereign nation in the world) and Hadrian’s and Qin’s.
But you don’t think that deeply into subjects, it would appear. Fence is exactly like a wall, that’s why they call it a fence? Or do you see the connection because they both protect people you irrationally don’t like and THAT is how they are related?
Robert M. Snyder September 25th, 2015 at 00:13
When I visit my local school or my county courthouse, I have to go through a security procedure in order to gain admittance. If I do not have a valid reason for being there, I am not permitted to enter the building. If I want to assist with scorekeeping at a high school track meet, I have to go through a criminal background check. A lot of people seem to want to know who I am before they allow my admittance to public spaces. Do you think these people have a right to inquire about my background and restrict my access?
tracey marie September 25th, 2015 at 00:32
so you think you are special, hint…you are not.
Robert M. Snyder September 25th, 2015 at 00:50
I think you missed the point. I do NOT think that I am special. That is why I think that people entering the US, from any country, should be subjected to the same level of scrutiny to which I am subjected in ordinary, daily life. If I need to get a criminal background check to keep score at a track meet, then how is it okay to allow thousands of people to enter the US without any sort of check?
bpollen September 25th, 2015 at 06:25
SHOW ME WHERE THE POPE SAID THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO CHECKS! C’MON, YOU KEEP BITCHING ABOUT IT! WHY CAN’T YOU PONY UP A FACT OR QUOTE TO SUPPORT IT?
Ranting about stuff you make up is irrational, you know.
tracey marie September 25th, 2015 at 11:14
I pity you.
bpollen September 25th, 2015 at 00:32
Are YOU a president? Ruler of a sovereign nation? Were you REFUSED entrance into whatever facility you are whining about?
Sounds to me like you think there should be NO security for anybody. “Tear down this wall because I don’t like having a criminal background check before I am allowed to interact with other people’s children. Oh, the unfairness! Tear down centuries-old edifices because I’m not happy!”
“Do you think these people have a right to inquire about my background and restrict my access?”
What part of “security” confuses you? The fact that you get treated like everybody else and don’t get special dispensation?
Robert M. Snyder September 25th, 2015 at 00:46
The Vatican, the White House, my county courthouse, and my local school all have fences, walls, locked doors, and procedures designed to regulate and restrict access. I accept these regulations and restrictions because I understand why they are necessary.
This article is about people who enter our country without passing through the established checkpoints designed to regulate and restrict access.
So in your own words, “What part of “security” confuses you?”
bpollen September 25th, 2015 at 01:08
And did the pope SAY “f*ck security” at some point that nobody in the Reich-wing media chose to wax apoplectic about? Did he say “dismantle border security” or “abolish all immigration laws” or anything similar? And why hasn’t the Fox outrage machine gone into overdrive about it?
So, he preaches compassion, and you see him as hypocritical because people built a wall around the Vatican 500 years ago? HE talks about about biblical values and the Golden Rule, and you are offended? He speaks about loving thy neighbor as thyself, and you hear a threat to our national security?
Hyperbolic hyperventilation – turning the shadow of a molehill into the Olympus Mons of hysteria.
Robert M. Snyder September 25th, 2015 at 01:20
Fences and walls exist for a reason. Walls can come down, as we have seen in Berlin. But the Vatican wall and the White House fence have remained in place. I have no problem with that. I think there are good reasons for those walls and fences to exist. The people who are responsible for the Vatican and the White House would be remiss in the duties if they did not take reasonable steps to regulate access to those places.
Most Americans do not have confidence that the immigration process is well regulated. Most of us believe that the people in charge (and their predecessors) have been remiss in their duties.
Suppose that a group of homeless people entered your child’s school through an unlocked door and took up permanent residence. Would you accuse the principal of lacking compassion if he turned them out and asked for better security?
bpollen September 25th, 2015 at 03:22
This article is about people who enter our country without passing through the established checkpoints designed to regulate and restrict access.
The man whose first post is about half-a-millennia old structure in Rome (and NOT any of the 8 Romes in the USA) tells us, with an appalling lack of self-awareness, that this article is about the USA! USA! USA!
Please, you attack the pope. Yet you produce NOT A DAMN THING that justifies your hyperbole. Could you provide a quote to go with your rage? No… You just made stuff up and then get all self-righteous based on your delusions. You put words in HIS mouth, and then you get all
kochleffel about it.
Conservatives call illegal immigrants terrorist, rapists, murderers, criminals, “bad people”, cantaloupe-calved drug mules – Bigot Bobby is all Zen silent. The pope calls them “people” and Bigot Bobby gets livid.
You, sir, are a hypocritical, bigoted, self-admittedly projecting, dishonest, strawman-obsessed, fantabulist troll.
Robert M. Snyder September 25th, 2015 at 04:24
“You, sir, are a hypocritical, bigoted, self-admittedly projecting, dishonest, strawman-obsessed, fantabulist troll.”
Sometimes there just aren’t enough adjectives to describe people like me.
bpollen September 25th, 2015 at 06:01
Sorry, forgot reprehensible, dishonest, self-righteous, pompous, disruptive, anti-Pollyannaish, self-aggrandizing, hyperventilating… a veritable cornucopia of tripping over logs to complain about the mote in another’s eye. There ARE more adjectives and adverbs that would fit, but one thing they ALL have in common – they are all descriptive of negative qualities…
Positive qualities? Your bullshite is often spelled correctly.
fahvel September 25th, 2015 at 03:26
why is opne citizen more important than another? when you answer that or accept that you become a secondary pawn in the world of giant capitalism.
fahvel September 25th, 2015 at 03:25
you defined the paranoia of officialdom – they work for you, you hired them, you voted them in and they say fk you dim peasant, why should you enter our now hallowed halls – living in fear sure does seem to suit your odd view.