Hillary: GOP bill would 'criminalize' Jesus

Clinton vows to block bill criminalizing illegal immigrants

By BETH FOUHY
AP Political Writer

March 22, 2006, 2:51 PM EST


NEW YORK -- Invoking Biblical themes, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton joined immigration advocates Wednesday to vow and block legislation seeking to criminalize undocumented immigrants.

Clinton, a potential 2008 presidential candidate and relative latecomer to the immigration debate, made her remarks as the Senate prepares to take up the matter next week.

Clinton renewed her pledge to oppose a bill passed in December by the House that would make unlawful presence in the United States _ currently a civil offense _ a felony. The Senate is set to consider a version of that legislation, as well as several other bills seeking to address the seemingly intractable issue of immigration reform.

Surrounded by a multicultural coalition of New York immigration advocates, Clinton blasted the House bill as "mean-spirited" and said it flew in the face of Republicans' stated support for faith and values.

"It is certainly not in keeping with my understanding of the Scriptures," Clinton said, "because this bill would literally criminalize the Good Samaritan and probably even Jesus himself."

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--clinton-immigrati0322mar22,0,2312317.story?coll=ny-region-apnewyork

Yeah, I know this is a political move, but I think she should frame the issue against criminalization in religious terms because she considers herself a Christian. While I am not, and I bow to no one in my fervent support of church/state separation, we simply must have Dems frame with their own moral and ethical beliefs. This is a good case: no church/state issues arise from what she said or supports. We have been characterized as anti-religion for too long. It's as if no Dems go to church or temple or mosque or meeting house. Yet I have, and we all have, friends who are fellow Dems and are Catholic, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, UCC and Quakers (to cite from my list of Dem friends)as well as those who are non-religious (like myself)but who certainly hold strong ethical and moral beliefs.

The UCC church I grew up attending helped hide a philipino minister from the INS, as he would have been killed by Marcos if returned to his country. The Reagan administration did not give asylum to those fleeing Marcos, as he was an ally. Different families took turns hiding him out in their homes. No home was ever raided, and the minister returned to his country after Marcos was deposed. The Reagan administration wasn't going to make a public relations mistake like invading a bunch of homes of american families and church goers for one man.

This bill would make helping this guy a felony, too, undoubtedly. It was something that was a matter of conscience.