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A day after a temporary group addressing recent threats to immigration concluded its work, Catholic bishops voted on Thursday to create a new permanent committee aimed at addressing religious freedom issues in the United States.

The contrast of the two movesending a temporary task force on immigration policy as the global refugee crisis continues while creating a permanent religious liberty committee when the goals of the ad hoc committee appear within reachgenerated a vigorous debate among bishops gathered for their spring meeting in Indianapolis.

Some bishops expressed concern that allowing the immigration group to dissolve would send a signal that bishops had retreated from the issue. Later in the day, the head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops appeared to agree, releasing a statement announcing that the immigration working group would continue, citing the the continued urgency for comprehensive immigration reform, a humane refugee policy and a safe border."

Meeting in Indianapolis for their spring meeting, the bishops voted 132 to 53 to make permanent an ad hoc committee formed in 2011 by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who was then president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The vote was not without controversy, however, as evidenced by floor comments from close to 20 bishops, including four cardinals.

On June 14, bishops heard a report about an ad hoc working group on immigration issues. That group began its work in November, after the election of Donald J. Trump, who during the presidential campaign promised to crack down on migration. It wrapped up its work this month. Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego took to the floor during that discussion, arguing that letting the working group dissolve could send a signal that bishops were retreating on immigration.

During Thursdays debate on the religious liberty committee, a member of the ad hoc group, Bishop Christopher Coyne of Burlington, Vt., said he was concerned letting the immigration working group come to a close while establishing a permanent committee on religious freedom sent a bad message.

Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark agreed, calling the timing very unfortunate and saying the vote to create the permanent committee would send a message that the conference is actually disengaging on migration issues, calling it a crisis that is growing stronger each day.

Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore disagreed, noting that the bishops have permanent committees that address migration issues.

The religious liberty committee was created during a clash with the Obama administration, during which some Catholic universities, hospitals and dioceses argued that provisions of the Affordable Care Act violated their religious freedom.

The committee has been chaired by Archbishop Lori since its inception. During a presentation on Thursday, the archbishop said religious liberty remains under challenge, and its likely these challenges will intensify in the years ahead.

Archbishop Lori said that while the churchs opposition to the Department of Health and Human Services contraception mandate appears to be headed toward a resolution, he believed other issues, including newly gained rights for transgender individuals and the legalization of same-sex marriage in 2015, required a standing religious freedom committee ready to address new challenges as they arise.

Other bishops were concerned about how the new permanent committee would be funded.

Archbishop Lori told the bishops that the new committee would be budget neutral, but Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago took to the floor to note that the committee has received more than $500,000 in outside funding since its inception. He asked if those donations would continue.

Archbishop Lori said he was quite confident that outside funding would continue to support the committee in the years ahead.

Bishop Coyne said he was concerned that establishing the permanent committee could put bishops on the hook for funding should donations dry up.

The funding is not permanent. It can go away, he said. Money and funding can disappear for all kinds of reasons.

Two prominent cardinals, however, spoke in favor of creating the permanent structure.

Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington said he supported the proposal because the challenge to religious liberty is a growing one.

Cardinal Dolan also supported the proposal, saying U.S. bishops serve as leaders to bishops in other countries.

In my contact with brother bishops throughout the world, they look to us in the United States to be real quarterbacks when it comes to the defense of religious freedom, he said.

After the vote, Bishop Jaime Soto of Sacramento asked if the migration working group might continue its work. Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, head of the U.S.C.C.B., said he believed the group would continue to meet informally and that he would consider creating another ad hoc working group. On Thursday, he announced in a press release that the groups work would continue.

This story includes updates.

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Bishops extend work of immigration group after vigorous floor debate - America Magazine

Mayor Mitch Landrieu CREDIT: Esther Yu Hsi Lee, ThinkProgress

WASHINGTON, D.C.What are mayors to do with their immigrant constituents when they want to strike a balance being both a welcoming city to everyone and a city of law and order pressured to follow federal policies as harsh as the ones that President Donald Trump has put forth in his executive orders on immigration?

Thats the burning question for New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieuthe incoming president of the United States Conference of Mayorswho met with Attorney General Jeff Sessions in April with other U.S. mayors to discuss policies aimed at protecting undocumented immigrants.

The meeting came in response after the Trump administration publicly shamed New Orleans and eight other jurisdictions for being sanctuary cities to undocumented residents, allowing officials the ability to ignore a federal request to detain some immigrants beyond the length of their prison sentence for potential deportation proceedings. Speaking with Sessions in that private session, Landrieu said his city has complied with federal immigration law. But he also emphasized that it violates an immigrants constitutional rights to be held without probable cause or without a warrant for longer than his or her prison term.

In an interview with reporters after speaking at the Center for American Progress Race in America: A Conversation with Mayor Landrieu, the New Orleans mayor covered a few wide-ranging topics such as the removal of Confederate statues in his city and racial issues including the insidiousness of people who believe African Americans cant have the same level of humanity as other people because you have black blood.

On the topic of immigration, Landrieu was emphatic about the need for comprehensive immigration reform so that mayors like himself wouldnt need to have big fights right now about whether localities comply with federal policies.

I would make the simple point that if Congress would do its job and actually have comprehensive immigration reform, we wouldnt have to have these patchwork guesses on whos doing what, whos not doing what, whats a sanctuary city, whats not, what all of that looks like, Landrieu told ThinkProgress.

Currently, the Trump administration has named and shamed many localities for ignoring federal requests to turn over all suspected undocumented immigrants under custodial arrest. But such an undertaking, particularly authorizing local police to take on federal immigration enforcement policies, could actually make these cities less safe for immigrants. A 2012 study found that trust in police fell among community members when law enforcement authorities were involved in immigration enforcement.

Its easy to see why immigrants wouldnt place their trust in law enforcement. Under Trump, immigrants who report crimes against their abusers, reach out to the police after being hit by trucks, and come into everyday exchanges with transit police have found themselves become caught up in the deportation dragnet.

As the incoming president of United States Conference of Mayors, Landrieu will likely have some power over how cities could implement federal immigration policies.

In the midst of this, weve left local officials to try and figure out a pathway that works and always wondering whether or not were within bounds of the Constitution and whats not, Landrieu said.

The mayor pointed out that both Democratic and Republican mayors have some common ground in what immigration reform looks like including: having a secure border; that undocumented immigrants brought as children should be left alone; that mass deportation of millions of immigrants is impossible; and that immigrants who conduct violent, criminal behavior should be arrested and deported.

In the world I live in as a legislator, once you have those broad parameters, it seems almost nonsensical that you cant get to some resolution sooner rather than than later, Landrieu said. If they do that, you wouldnt have these hodgepodge attempts on the local level to do or not to do certain things whether youre in a blue city or a red city or in a blue state or red state.

Landrieu pushed back against the idea New Orleans was violating the law when it comes to protecting its immigrant residents. Thats because the definition of a sanctuary city has been too vague since the phrase means different things to many people.

And the law, in order for you to be able to prosecute someone constitutionally from criminal law to civil law, the laws got to be clear, it cant be vague, Landrieu pointed out. If the Attorney General [Sessions] and Congress want to go back and redraft something that makes sense, well be happy to work with them so we can follow the law.

That doesnt mean well be a closed city, Landrieu added. New Orleans is an open and welcoming city. But as Ive said my friends in the advocacy community, when the law is written we will follow the law, whatever it is And we will follow whatever is constitutional, and whatever the law requires us to do while we fight for what we think is right.

Disclosure: ThinkProgress is an editorially independent site housed at the Center for American Progress.

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How New Orleans' mayor balances welcoming immigrants with following federal policies - ThinkProgress

The 67 percent numbercomes from a poll of 754 likely voters by thestates main newspaper, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The poll also showed that 30 percent declared themselvesunconcerned about illegal immigrations, generating a 2:1 advantage for any candidate who takes a strongadvocacy position against the northern flow of illegal aliens.

Better still, 39 percentof swing-voting independents declared themselves very concerned about illegal immigration, while only 12 percent said theywere not at all concerned, indicating a 3:1 issue among voters who could switch their vote to back either Democrat Jon Ossoff and Republican Karen Handel if either candidate comes out strongly against wage-cutting illegal immigration.

However, coalition pressures are likely keeping the two candidates away from the issue,said D.A. King, a pro-American immigration reformer based in Atlanta

There is nothing in it for Ossoff, because he is going to get the Democratic votes and any talk about Comprehensive Immigration Reform could frighten off independents or [party-switching] Republicans, said King, founder of the Dustin Inman Society, which was named after a youth killed by an illegal-alien driver who subsequently escaped arrest. In the final days before the June 20 election, Ossoff has dropped his initially tough rhetoric and now hes extremely soft hes trying to be a moderate,' King added.

Ossoff is very dependent on donations from the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, which strongly favors the inflow of new immigrants and future voters. So far, his massive spending of more than $23 million has proved to be his main advantage, and he wont threaten the flow of donations with a coalition-cracking appeal for enforcement of immigration laws.

Handel is not touching the cheap-labor immigration issue because she is lagging far behind in donations, most of which comes from local business groups and the local Chambers of Commerce, all of which oppose a federal crackdownon the supply of illegal-alien workers and customers, said King. She is the epitome of the establishment Republican, King said.

The media is also ignoring the issue, despite the poll results, King added.It is not in the [Atlanta Journal-Constitution] newspaper, it is not on the radio. and it was basically kept out of theTV debate, said King. They did not do another [question] after the first question which was Do you support the travel ban?' he said.

Unless an illegal alien is a valedictorianor victim, the issue will not be brought up by the states media outlets, no matter the economic impact on ordinary Americans, he added. The newspapers poll shows that illegal immigration is far more important than abortion, so-called climate change and the Atlanta traffic, he said.

The newspapers poll shows that illegal immigration is far more important than abortion, so-called climate change and the Atlanta traffic, he said.

Immigration is also asimportant an issue asare taxes, but less important than healthcare, which was deemed important by 81 percent of the respondents.

The immigration issue is barely addressed on Handelswebsite, which says:

True national security means securing our borders. The current immigration system is broken, and we MUST fix it. We need to build a wall along our southern border, demand immigration laws be enforced, improve the reliability of temporary visa programs, and create a viable guest worker program. While I understand and appreciate that we are a nation of immigrants, and believe we should be welcoming of those wish to migrate to our great country, we are also a nation of laws, and our laws must be respected.

Her call for a viable guest worker program is to make people think we dont have guest worker programs, said King, even though roughly one million lower-wage contract workers are imported each year, alongside one million legal immigrants and four million Americans who turn 18. She is showing a lack of concern for American workers and Americans wages, he said.

Election day is near, theres not much time, but it is possible to bump her into a [firm] commitment against legalization of illegal immigrants, said King. If shes elected, she wont later turn against the chambers cheap-labor demands, he said.

Ossoff is leading the race by three points, according to apolling average calculated by RealClearPolitics.com

The newspaper poll is here.

Follow Neil Munro on Twitter @NeilMunroDC or email the author at NMunro@Breitbart.com

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Politicians, Media Boycott Public Concerns About Immigration In Georgia Race - Breitbart News

The Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the U.S. Senate welcomed more than 70 sophomores and juniors from Littleton and Stoneham high schools on June 2 for a 2.5-hour educational program on the workings of the Senate. Using high-touch technology on tablets provided by the Institute, students took on the role of U.S. senators and worked together to build and pass a bill calling for comprehensive immigration reform.

The Senate Immersion Module program provides an opportunity for students to engage in the legislative process. Students participate in hearings, committee mark-ups and floor debates that culminate in a final vote on legislation inside the Institutes full-scale replica U.S. Senate Chamber. Since opening in March of 2015, the Institute has hosted more than 33,000 students from across the Commonwealth and the nation to take on both historic and current issues, from the Compromise of 1850 to the PATRIOT Act.

At the completion of the program, the student-senators from Littleton and Stoneham high schools narrowly voted 39-35 in favor of passing comprehensive immigration reform.

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Littleton, Stoneham students debate immigration reform - Wicked Local Littleton

Saul Arellano gets a boost every time a stranger recognizes him on the street, pinches his cheeks and calls him "Saulito." It reminds him of the Chicago community that raised him, and what he owes them and his country.

A decade ago, Saul's mother, Elvira Arellano, became a lightning rod in the nation's immigration debate when she sought sanctuary in a Humboldt Park church while fighting her second deportation back to Mexico. Her son, born in the U.S., has joined her as an immigration advocate, serving as a symbol of why so many people live in the U.S. illegally to find better opportunities for their children.

After his mother was deported in 2007, young Saul who went to live with her in Mexico took up her mantle, traveling back and forth between the U.S. and Mexico, lobbying for immigration reform. In 2014, Elvira Arellano returned to the U.S. illegally with Saul and his then-infant brother. Crossing the border a third time to secure a brighter future for her sons was worth the risk, she said.

On Friday, Saul Arellano is set to fulfill his mother's dream of seeing her son graduate from high school. He hopes to attend Northeastern Illinois University in the fall with tuition provided by an unexpected donor. He plans to pursue a career fighting for justice.

"People actually believe in what we're doing," said Saul Arellano, now 18. "That's all I need, just one person who believes that I'm doing something right."

Saul was born in 1998 in Yakima, Wash., where his mother first went to live and work with her cousins, one year after she was first deported for crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.

Saul came with his mother to Chicago more than two years later. She got a job cleaning at O'Hare International Airport and bought a house. After the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, federal agents came to her home at dawn as part of Operation Tarmac, a nationwide sweep of airport employees living in the U.S. illegally.

In addition to re-entering the country illegally after a prior deportation, Elvira Arellano had been working with a fake Social Security number. She fought every turn of her case and won at least three stays of deportation. But in August 2006, instead of showing up at the Department of Homeland Security for removal, she stepped up to the pulpit of Adalberto United Methodist Church in the Humboldt Park neighborhood, vowing to stay in the church indefinitely with her son.

The move catapulted the mother and son to the front lines of an international debate. Critics of illegal immigration believed Elvira Arellano was using her son to justify staying in the U.S. and exploiting him by putting him before TV cameras and politicians.

During news conferences, 7-year-old Saul stood at his mother's side, playing with his action figures. He missed his own bed and the Nintendo game he left behind at their home in Pilsen, he said.

Still, whenever Elvira Arellano proposed giving up and going to Mexico, young Saul said no. He wanted to stay and become a Chicago firefighter. "I want to help people," he told the Tribune in 2007.

Beti Guevara, the assistant pastor of the church where the Arellanos took refuge, said the year living inside Adalberto robbed Saul of some of his childhood. He lashed out, often kicking and punching anyone who came near his mother. Guevara relied on the nearby Union League Boys & Girls Club as an outlet for his pent-up angst.

"This kid lived in fear," said Guevara. "The only relief he had was the Boys & Girls Club. I snuck him through the back door and then he became a kid."

Unlike his mother, Saul could come and go from the church freely. He attended second grade at Cooper Elementary School in Pilsen and went to occasional sleepovers. The child spoke at immigration reform rallies outside the White House, and in Los Angeles, Boston and Miami. He went to Mexico City to address the Mexican parliament, which adopted a resolution opposing the U.S. effort to deport his mother.

In August 2007, a year after taking sanctuary in the church, Elvira Arellano was arrested in Los Angeles, where she and Saul had traveled for an immigration reform rally. Because of her prior deportation and the attention her case had drawn, she was deported that same day. Saul joined her to live in Mexico a month later, after attending a number of other immigration reform rallies around the country.

As the mother and son's activism continued in Mexico, Elvira Arellano dodged gunfire at rallies, received death threats and locked the doors of her home in Michoacan to prevent kidnappers from taking Saul, she said. Saul's classmates in the southwestern Mexican state spoke wistfully of life in America, he said. But the hatred he says he has experienced here did not match what they imagined.

In 2014, Elvira Arellano escorted a group of Central American asylum seekers to the U.S. border and encouraged them to cross. She called her then teenage son Saul and suggested he join her in doing the same. They both crossed the border and were detained. As a U.S. citizen, he was released right away. His mother, having crossed the border illegally a third time, was released a few days later pending a ruling on her asylum.

They returned to Humboldt Park where the largely Puerto Rican community had rallied around them years earlier.

Saul enrolled in Pedro Albizu Campos High School, a charter school affiliated with the Puerto Rican Cultural Center. It was Virginia Boyle's first year teaching at the school. Saul remembers in the six weeks left of his freshman year, she assigned him 10 novels to help perfect his English and give him some perspective.

She immediately recognized his drive to succeed and create a better world.

"Even then he knew that his life was different and that he was actually living his own life, but that he was playing a role in a larger social drama," said Boyle, who has taught him off and on ever since and still serves as one of his mentors. "That involved his mother, of course, but involved so many issues immigration, family separation, policy. Saul, of course with his mother, was right there alongside all of that."

Later, because he kept up his grades, Saul was part of a select cohort of students invited to take advanced placement exams, for which Boyle helped him prepare. He earned 12 units of college credit.

Saul has remained an activist both alongside his mother and on his own.

The day after the inauguration of President Donald Trump who has said illegal immigration endangers public safety and has vowed a crackdown Saul joined a student walkout during the school day. In April, he protested Trump's immigration policies on Capitol Hill with more than a dozen other Chicago-area children, all U.S. citizens, who have a parent who has been deported or is at risk of deportation.

"I feel this is our calling," Saul said. "We all have a reason why we're here. I strongly believe we're setting ourselves up to do better. I'm hoping in the future I can do way better."

Saul said he has struggled to balance the demands of being a student and an activist with helping his mother pay the bills and raise his 3-year-old brother Emiliano, a Mexican citizen, who, like his mother, has a pending application for asylum. Saul holds down multiple part-time jobs waiting tables at a seafood restaurant and mentoring 5-, 6- and 7-year-olds with their homework at the Boys & Girls Club.

Hector Perez, vice president of club services for Union League Boys &Girls Club, said many kids Saul's age are often on their phones, hanging out, having a good time.

"You don't see Saul doing any of that," Perez said. "He's so mature. ... He's got a really powerful message of not giving up the fight for your rights and stand for what you believe in."

That work ethic is what led Jim and Ginger Meyer to make an offer Saul could not refuse. Earlier this spring, Saul competed for a college scholarship from the Boys & Girls Club that he did not win. But the Meyers were so moved by his story that they offered to cover tuition at the college of his choice.

"He's a role model," said Ginger Meyer, whose husband, Jim, is on the board of the Boys & Girls Club. "We are just helping someone who is doing something much bigger. He's already given so much to our country through what he has done in the Boys & Girls Club. ... This is what we would want from all of our citizens."

After a three-year wait, Elvira Arellano presents her case for asylum to an immigration judge this September. If she loses, she will have to leave her older son behind.

"Saul has a lot of dreams to study at the university," she said in Spanish through a translator. "He's independent. I don't have to worry as much for him."

Saul does not want her to give up the fight. He wants his brother to have the same opportunities.

"I've come to realize everything my mom has told me was right," he said. "Everything she fought for was right. She did it for me."

mbrachear@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @TribSeeker

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Son of immigration activist who sought sanctuary in Chicago church to graduate high school - Chicago Tribune