FOR RELEASE: July 9, 2013

CONTACT: Stephanie Niedringhaus, 202-347-9797 x224, sniedringhaus@networklobby.org

Message: Pass Comprehensive Immigration Reform!

Washington DC: Today, NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby, is hand-delivering the following letter to all (54) Catholic Republican Members of the House of Representatives. It was signed by 44 “Nuns on the Bus” (www.nunsonthebus.org) who recently completed a cross-country tour calling for comprehensive immigration reform.

July 9, 2013

Dear Representative,

From May 28 to June 18, we Catholic Sisters embarked on a 6,800 mile cross-country bus tour for faith, family and citizenship. As we traveled across the country, at every stop, people joined us in the call for comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship that benefits the 100 percent.

Thousands of people came to our events. We met with farmworkers, refugees and asylees, DREAMers and their parents, and Catholic sisters and allies across the country. They share our desire for commonsense reform that: ensures family unity, protects workers’ rights, speeds up processing of already-approved immigrants, acknowledges our borders are already secure, enhances the present diversity visa program, and provides a clear, direct path to citizenship.

Regardless of which state we were in, one theme was consistent: immigrants are the building blocks of the community. Stories of hope and longing, as well as dreams and desperation, touched our hearts and occupied our prayers during the bus tour. Immigrant stories are woven into the fabric of the glory of our country’s past and the promise of our future. Our American values – family, diversity, opportunity – necessitate that we fix our broken immigration system now.

The American people want comprehensive immigration reform. Immigration reform is not a Republican or Democrat issue. It is a people issue. We pray that political barriers will not stand in the way of the comprehensive reform we need. Please be in touch with the staff at NETWORK if you would like to hear more or have any questions.

In Faith,

NETWORK’s Nuns on the Bus

Sr. Simone Campbell, Sisters of Social Service, Washington, DC

Sr. Mary Ellen Lacy, Daughters of Charity, Brooklyn, NY

Sr. Marge Clark, Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Washington, DC

… Plus 41 more Sisters from  Hartford, CT, Lower Lake, CA, Blauvelt, NY, St. Louis, MO, Knoxville, NC, Bristol, RI, Wood Haven, NY, Belmont, NC, Los Angeles, CA, Apopka, FL, San Antonio, TX, Chicago, IL, Seattle, WA, Daly City, CA, Cupertino, CA, Sunnyvale, CA, Scranton, PA, Philadelphia, PA, Merion Station, PA, Savannah, GA, Coachella, CA, Maple Shade, NJ, Rocky River, OH, Laredo, TX, Phoenix, AZ, Sun City West, AZ, New Orleans, LA, Houston, TX, Austin, TX, San Francisco, CA, Durham, NC, Dallas, TX, Atlanta, GA

XXX