President’s Meeting a 'Good First Step’ Says Chairman of Catholic Legal Immigration Network

Washington, D.C. -  The Chairman of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC) Board of Directors, Bishop Jaime Soto ofSacramento, has made the following comments about President Obama’s Thursday June 25, 2009 meeting at the White House with Congressional leaders on the issue of immigration reform:

 “The June 25 meeting between the president and congressional leaders is an applaudable first step towards fixing our broken immigration system. We are at a critical moment that demands the attention of the administration and Congress. Thousands of families are suffering and our economy is handicapped by the failures of outdated immigration laws and misguided enforcement policies.

This meeting is a good first step and sets the tone for the very important and necessary policy discussions to follow. We now urge the president and Congress not to slow down. Immigration reform is urgent and necessary. To delay immigration reform would be a mistake. It would unfairly prolong the suffering of so many, further undermine our economy and risk security of the nation.”

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The Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC), a subsidiary of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, is the nation’s largest network of charitable immigration services with 176 affiliates in 290 field offices around the country. CLINIC advocates for transparent, fair and generous immigration policies.  www.cliniclegal.org