Pope Visits With President While Bush Sends Agents Across America to Raid Immigrant Workers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Contact:

Ali Noorani, Executive Director, MIRA Coalition: cell: (617) 835-1402

Shuya Ohno, Communications, MIRA Coalition: cell (617) 821-8990

Boston, MA - Today, President George W. Bush hosted Pope Benedict XVI, celebrated his 81^st birthday at the White House, and in a private meeting with the President, asked for the humane treatment of immigrants in the United States. At the same time this conversation was happening, immigrant workers were being subjected to detention and interrogation in workplaces across eight states, TX, FL, WV, TN, NY, PA, OH, and GA, by Federal ICE agents.

“Today, President Bush welcomed Pope Benedict to the White House and spoke about freedom in a ‘spirit of mutual support.’,” said Sister Lena Deevy, Executive Director of the Irish Immigration Center. “Yet, in my eyes, President Bush fails to live up to his words by continuing to increase harsh enforcement measures and refusing to help immigrants become citizens. Today’s immigration raids across America are yet another example of political scapegoating at its worst.”

Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, said, “There is a fundamental disconnect between our nation’s moral belief that all human beings should be treated with dignity and the implementation of our nation’s broken immigration system. For the President to put at risk the sanctity and safety of immigrant families by conducting yet another round of harsh immigration raids flies in the face of the Pope’s call for humane treatment of all people.”

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MIRA works to advocate for the rights and opportunities of immigrants and refugees. In partnership with its members, MIRA advances this mission through education, training, leadership development, organizing, policy analysis and advocacy.