Matthew Partridge: The Catholic church is one of the few mainstream institutions standing up for immigrants Wednesday, 08 September 2010 One of the most depressing trends in British and American politics is that opponents of immigration are currently winning the debate. In Britain the government is in the process of instituting, over the objections on Vincent Cable, a draconian cap on non-EU immigration. Similarly, all the major candidates for the Labour leadership have hardened their stances on immigration, although David Miliband has had the courage to criticise the cap.
The situation is even worse in American since Jan Brewer's crackdown on suspected illegal immigrants turned her into an icon of the right, and resurrected her re-election campaign. President Obama has stated that, "being an American is not a matter of blood or birth", an indication that an end to birthright citizenship may be part of any future immigration reform.
However, the Catholic church is prepared to stand up for some of the most vulnerable in society. In Britain, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor has courageously led the fight for an amnesty for illegal immigrants. In both America and Canada the church is constantly on the immigration frontline, providing, legal advice, charitable assistance and even sanctuary, for those who have crossed the border to seek a better life.
