Although I generally support the strict enforcement of American immigration and naturalization laws, I believe that all children, as in the present situation of this massive influx of children from Central America, should be permitted to live in the United States and be processed for legal residence and citizenship status on humanitarian grounds as refugees. Since the majority of the children are Roman Catholics, efforts should be coordinated between the federal government and the Catholic Church to clothe, feed, house and educate these children. We have the words of Jesus, “Let the children come to me and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (Luke 18: 16). Every unaccompanied child who crosses our borders must be allowed to stay. This is a humanitarian, Christian and bipartisan issue.
Joseph N. Manago
Briarwood
