Our religious traditions teach, to “befriend the immigrant, for you yourselves were once immigrants” (Dt. 10: 17-19).

In that spirit, Arizona Interfaith Network does not advocate for an open border, but seeks instead a comprehensive, federal immigration reform that will allow immigrant families to immigrate legally, safely and wholly as a family unit, to take on jobs that the United States needs them for. We acknowledge the frustration that many Arizonans feel with a broken immigration system, but we believe that state responses, such a Prop. 200, H2030, and other anti-illegal immigrant bills do not stop illegal immigration, but instead hurt immigrant families and children,

On April 7, I had the honor of testifying in front of the Senate Appropriations Committee. As a member of Arizona Interfaith Network, I testified against H2030, the extension of Prop. 200, which we also opposed.

In laying out the reasons for our opposition, I cited a document entitled “Faith-Based Principles on Migration/Immigration Issues,” signed at the Capitol on April 9, 2004, by bishops and leaders of the Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Episcopalian, Lutheran, United Methodist, Sikh and United Church of Christ traditions. Basically, the document teaches that “the human dignity and rights of all migrants should be respected,” and that “persons have a right to migrate to support themselves and their families if they are unable to do so in their own country.”

This testimony brought sharp comments from several senators. Sen. Jack Harper, R-4, questioned why the committee should listen to religious viewpoints since the Senate’s responsibility was in constitutional matters. But is it not the purpose of testimony that senators hear different viewpoints, including the religious≠

Sen. Ron Gould, R-3, commented that the work of religious communities with the undocumented is treasonous, undermining the laws of the United States. But is it not clearly within the mission of churches, synagogues and mosques that believers reach out in charity, to feed the hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, to clothe the naked, and to advocate for justice on their behalf≠ Christians believe that “whatsoever you do for the least of my brothers, you do for Me.”

President Bush calls immigrants and their children “decent, hardworking people who only want to feed their families.” The Arizona Interfaith Network will continue our work both for real immigration reform for Arizona’s families and for more humanitarian conditions at the border. —

Charles Fitzsimmons is a member of the Arizona Interfaith Network and is a Christian Brother on staff at a Catholic church in central Phoenix.

Arizona Interfaith Network is made up of 150 member congregations, schools, unions, nonprofits and education associations throughout the state. Its mission, as stated on its Web site, is that the network acts to strengthen family and community in solidarity with others across lines of race, class and religion. Its Web site is arizonainterfaith .org.