Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

A Rhode Island minister who is regional vice president with the National Coalition Of Latino Clergy & Christian Leaders (CONLAMIC) has called on Governor Carcieri to "adress the need for comprehensive immigration reform," as the clergy group pushes for undocumented immigrants to boycott the Census 2010.

Every governor - including Carcieri - has received a letter from CONLAMIC "on behalf of over 20,000 thousands churches, spread around 34 states," said the Reverend Miguel Rivera, CONLAMIC chairman.

"Governor Donald Carcieri is on notice that, if he truly wants to bring Rhode Island's economy back, he needs to address the need for comprehensive immigration reform.
Thousands of our Latino undocumented immigrants are homeowners, taxpayers and consumers who are more than willing to comply with every legal request in order to have themselves being legal in this Country," said the Rev. Eliseo Nogueras, CONLAMIC regional vice president for the north central region.

Rivera, the CONLAMIC chairman, said, "It is in the best interest of every Governor to step up and push for Comprehensive Immigration Reform or be prepared to see their State either lose federal funding or a seat at the House of Representatives, as the result of our call to have undocumented immigrants boycott the Census."

Carcieri spokeswoman Amy Kempe said she did not know whether the governor had received the letter.

"The governor believes very strongly in the fact that the Census needs to account for all individuals," said Kempe. "Certainly the governor doesn't disagree with the reverend that this country needs to take up the debate on comprehensive immigration reform."

Kempe added, "The governor has always said absent a national federal policy on immigration, states are left to uphold the laws as they are."

The Reverend Nogueras, Pastor of the Iglesia Getsemani, is a member of the executive committee of CONLAMIC-USA Board of Directors.

A statement from CONLAMIC said that "thousands of pastors are spreading the message, thru emails, Christian radio broad castings and tv shows in order to reach as many undocumented immigrants as possible with the message that before the Census counting, there needs to be immigration reform.

 Tags  Governor Carcieri immigration

Comments

Roger said:

What reform? The Federal Government did reform years ago with the workers program and it didn't work. With the employment the way it is today, we should do as we did in the 40s and 50s and deport ALL illegal aliens back to their home country. We are no longer capable of covering the expense of education, medical, food stamps, etc. Enough is enough, if you have issues with your country, fix it, don't come here unless you've done it legally.

Link | June 16, 2009 11:21 PM
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JD said:

These illegals have entered the country illegaly, they have commited identity fraud so that they can work and get credit, and now, if we don't give into their demands, they are going to boycott the census. But of course, they "are more than willing to comply with every legal request in order to have themselves being legal in this Country" And this boycott push is being done by who else...the clergy. Just for the record, in the last 48 hours we have seen an illegal arrested for possesion of over 50lbs of pot and another for molesting a 4 year old in a Providence park.

Link | June 17, 2009 8:48 AM
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