{"id":3639,"date":"2013-03-08T16:46:54","date_gmt":"2013-03-09T00:46:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/?p=3639"},"modified":"2013-03-08T16:52:57","modified_gmt":"2013-03-09T00:52:57","slug":"president-invites-bishop-to-immigration-meeting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/president-invites-bishop-to-immigration-meeting\/","title":{"rendered":"President invites bishop to immigration meeting"},"content":{"rendered":"

United Methodist Bishop Minerva Carca\u00f1o is framed by the tightly-spaced mesh of the border fence between San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico, during the observance of Posada Without Borders. Today Carca\u00f1o was among a group of religious leaders who spoke with President Obama about immigration reform. A UMNS file photo by Mike DuBose. <\/em><\/p>\n

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A UMNS Report by Kathy Gilbert*<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

6:30 P.M. ET March 8, 2013 | WASHINGTON<\/p>\n

United Methodist Bishop Minerva Carca\u00f1o was among a small group of faith leaders invited by President Barack Obama to a private meeting at the White House March 8 to discuss immigration reform.<\/p>\n

\u201cImmigration reform is a moral issue we all share in common,\u201d she said of the 14 religious leaders at the meeting.<\/p>\n

\u201cDuring the meeting, the president emphasized that comprehensive immigration reform was a high priority for him, and he asked us as faith leaders to continue to push for it,\u201d she told United Methodist News Service.<\/p>\n

Obama asked the faith leaders to support the bipartisan group of U.S. senators who are supporting immigration reform: Michael Bennet (D.-Colo.), Richard Durbin (D.-Ill.), Jeff Flake (R.-Ariz.), Lindsey Graham (R.-S.C.), John McCain (R.-Ariz), Robert Menendez (D.-N.J.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Charles Schumer (D.-N.Y.).<\/p>\n

\u201cHe told us they were facing great anger for their stand,\u201d the bishop said.<\/p>\n

Carca\u00f1o said she was able to thank the president for his \u201ccourageous\u201d step on behalf of\u00a0DREAMers<\/a>\u00a0last summer. \u201cBecause of his bold step, we were able to put pressure on the regents at the University of Hawaii, and they have just approved in-state tuition for DREAMers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carca\u00f1o said the president made it clear that he cares for the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States and millions of young people who came to the country as children and now are seeking a path to citizenship to complete college degrees or serve in military service. They are called DREAMers in reference to the\u00a0DREAM Act or the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2018Reunification of families top priority\u2019<\/h3>\n

Reunification of families is a top priority for United Methodists, she said. She told the president that United Methodists have held close to 300 prayer vigils in February in support of immigration reform.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was so wonderful to hear him say this was high priority for him and that he believes this is the season for immigration reform,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

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[toggle title=”For further exploration”]Learn more about the church’s stance on immigration.<\/p>\n

Also find related stories and resources<\/a><\/p>\n

[\/toggle]<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

This is the second time the president has called on Carca\u00f1o to join him as he speaks on immigration reform. In January,\u00a0Obama invited her to a high school in Las Vegas when he outlined his plan for immigration reform<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong>She was also included in aconference call with Vice President Joe Biden on Feb. 28<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Carca\u00f1o is episcopal leader for the California-Pacific Annual (regional) Conference and chair of the United Methodist Interagency Taskforce on Immigration. She has been the spokesperson for immigration reform for the United Methodist Council of Bishops since 2006.<\/p>\n

Bishop Julius C. Trimble, episcopal leader of the Iowa Conference and also a member of the taskforce, said he applauded elected officials meeting with constituents including representatives of the religious leadership of America.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a Bishop of The United Methodist Church, I applaud those who champion a human rights approach to immigration reform,\u201dhe wrote in a blog post<\/a>. \u201cIt seems that compassion and human rights have consistently come in a distant third to the paradigm of \u2018enforcement first, economic justification\/exploitation followed by our neighbors are here to stay.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Family-unity prayer vigils<\/h3>\n

United Methodists in 32 states and the District of Columbia have been holding the\u00a0prayer vigils<\/a>, said Bill Mefford, director of civil and human rights at the United Methodist Board of Church and Society.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnited Methodists see firsthand the impact of the brokenness of our immigration system on immigrant families,\u201d Mefford said. \u201cThus, we are determined to see reform passed that protects the family immigration system and reunites all families that are separated.\u201d<\/p>\n

United Methodists are mobilized like never before, according to Mefford, who said these prayer vigils are just the first step.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are gearing up for neighbor-to-neighbor visits where United Methodist leaders will be meeting with the elected members of Congress in their states and districts and sharing with them the need for reform,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have seen the brokenness, but we have hope that finally Congress can do what is right and pass legislation that provides a pathway to full citizenship clear of any enforcement contingencies and reunites all families who have experienced the pain of separation.”<\/p>\n

Other participants in the White House meeting included:<\/p>\n