Immigration Policy Center: Arizona's Anti-Immigration Law Is Also Anti-Faith

Washington D.C. - In the Immigration Policy Center's latest Perspective on Arizona, Arizona's Anti-Immigration Law is also Anti-Faith, Jenny Hwang, Director of Advocacy and Policy for the Refugee and Immigration Program at World Relief, discusses the difficult situation faith-based organizations are put in when punitive immigration measures like Arizona's SB1070 are enacted. "With a stroke of a pen, the activities of ministries that have existed for over 30 years to empower immigrants to gain life skills, learn English, and become self-sufficient will be considered illegal." Hwang continues, "asking for someone's legal status was never a requirement for a church to serve those in need, but because this law makes so many of the activities that churches engage in illegal, many churches will be forced to choose between following what they feel like God has called them to do (serving immigrants in their communities) and disobeying the Arizona law, or obeying the Arizona law and not being able to carry out what they feel is so central to their identity as a faith-based organization."

To read this Perspective on Arizona see:

Arizona's Anti-Immigration Law is also Anti-Faith (IPC Perspectives on Arizona, June 17, 2010)

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The Immigration Policy Center (IPC) is the research and policy arm of the American Immigration Council. IPC's mission is to shape a rational national conversation on immigration and immigrant integration. Through its research and analysis, IPC provides policymakers, the media, and the general public with accurate information about the role of immigrants and immigration policy on U.S. society. IPC reports and materials are widely disseminated and relied upon by press and policy makers. IPC staff regularly serves as experts to leaders on Capitol Hill, opinion-makers and the media. IPC, formed in 2003 is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor opposes any political party or candidate for office.

A division of the American Immigration Council.