Interfaith Leaders Seek Immigrant Reform

04/06/2009

By: NY1 News

Religious leaders from diverse backgrounds and Harlem Congressman Charles Rangel joined together in Morningside Heights, Manhattan on Monday to call for comprehensive immigration reform.

The New York State Interfaith Network for Immigration Reform is asking Congress to overhaul immigration laws, to give undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship.

They also call for better protection of immigrant workers' rights.

Rangel says a change in immigration policy is matter of human rights.

"There's no way in the world to get rid of 14 million people who are working in agriculture, hotels and restaurants. And so this is not only a moral thing, it's a common sense thing," said Rangel. "Nobody can challenge the fact that the only way to deal with it is to offer amnesty. Sending them back to Mexico or the Caribbean doesn't make any sense at all."

The meeting was scheduled during the Christian Holy Week and just ahead of the Jewish holiday of Passover.

Other interfaith conferences are scheduled across the state next week.