CV NEWS FEED // The Catholic Bishops of Arizona have announced their opposition to Proposition 314, an immigration-related measure that the bishops are concerned “will create real fear within Arizona communities that will have harmful consequences.”
In a September 3 statement, the bishops noted their “frustration about the current situation at the US-Mexico border. The lack of a federal solution to challenges faced by both vulnerable asylum seekers and American communities is sorely needed and long overdue.”
“The states and local communities along the border shoulder much of the challenges created by the federal government’s neglect,” they continued. “Its failure to address increased migration in a pragmatic and humane way has led to an ineffective response at the border and an unacceptable number of migrant deaths.”
The bishops wrote that they do not scrutinize the good intentions of those making efforts to respond to the problems, but “We believe that Proposition 314 will have unanticipated consequences, and that it is not the right solution.”
According to the bishops, if state and local law enforcement become responsible for enforcing “what should be the role of federal immigration authorities,” criminals will not be caught because many crime victims and witnesses will be too afraid to go to law enforcement and report crimes.
According to Ballotpedia, Proposition 314 “would make it a state crime for noncitizens to enter the state directly from a foreign nation other than the official ports of entry, and allow for state and local police to arrest noncitizens who cross the border unlawfully,” and it prohibits arresting a person without a probable cause. State judges could also order deportations.
In their statement, the bishops wrote that the measure does not keep the federal government accountable for regulating immigration. Instead, the measure will “[put] unworkable and unrealistic expectations on state judicial officers and law enforcement personnel.”
“The federal government needs to do a much better job of managing our national border and providing comprehensive immigration reform,” the bishops wrote, noting that Proposition 314 will not likely prevail in legal challenges.
