Enough is enough, opponent of bill says<br/><span class='hl2'>‘Immoral law' will have a devastating impact, charity director says </span>

About 1,100 pledges of resistance from parish members at Sacred Heart Catholic Church were delivered to the governor's office Tuesday in protest of HB 1804, proclaiming it an "immoral law.”

HB 1804, one of the nation's toughest immigration enforcement bills, takes effect Thursday. It makes it illegal to harbor, hire, transport or conceal illegal immigrants. It primarily targets immigrants, landlords and employers but has broader implications. It also requires local law enforcement agencies to check the immigration status of people arrested for felonies or DUIs and coordinate with the federal government to have the appropriate persons deported.

"It is going to have such a devastating impact on human beings,” said Catholic Charities Director of Advocacy and Legal Services Dick Klinge.

Klinge delivered the petitions to the governor's office for Sacred Heart. Catholic Charities remain vocally opposed to the law. It has said it would continue to conduct its business, which involves significant outreach to immigrant communities, regardless of the legal culpability that might pose.

"Enough is enough; the churches are standing up on an interfaith basis, for the rights of human beings,” Klinge said.

Catholic Charities in Oklahoma City is part of the nation's largest private network of social service agencies.

Mum's the word

Gov. Brad Henry was out of the country Tuesday, unable to personally receive the petitions. He signed the immigration bill reluctantly when it was introduced, but it was popular in the Legislature. The House passed it by a vote of 84-14 and in the Senate it passed 41-6.

State Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore, maintains support for the measure is still strong. He said his office received 183 calls and e-mails Tuesday, only three of which were negative.

"There are only a handful of state-level immigration reform experts and for good or bad, I am one of them,” Terrill said. "House Bill 1804 passed overwhelmingly with bipartisan support and veto-proof margins and was signed by a Democratic governor. Last time I checked, one guy acting on his own could not get something through the legislative process.”

Terrill said he understands that Catholic Charities is simply trying to act in the best interests of its clients, a growing number of whom are illegal immgrants, by making this a religious debate.

"I have no desire to engage in a religious debate with these people,” said Terrill, who attends a Baptist church and teaches at Hillsdale Free Will Baptist College. "It is not righteous or just to provide taxpayer funds and benefits to illegal aliens.”

Nothing in the bill prevents churches from using private dollars however they see fit, he said. "This just places reasonable restrictions on public funds,” he said.

Page 1 of 2

1 2 Next