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Reviewed by:
  • On “Strangers No Longer”: Perspectives on the Historic U.S.-Mexican Catholic Bishops’ Pastoral Letter on Migration ed. by Todd Scribner, J. Kevin Appleby
  • Séamus P. Finn OMI
On “Strangers No Longer”: Perspectives on the Historic U.S.-Mexican Catholic Bishops’ Pastoral Letter on Migration. Edited by Todd Scribner & J. Kevin Appleby, Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 2013, 384pp. $27.95.

The historic document, “Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope” was the first ever joint pastoral statement of the U.S. and Mexican bishops that emerged from their conversations and mutual concerns about migration between the two countries. It was approved by the full assemblies of each episcopal conference in 2002 and released in 2003. The volume listed above commemorates the tenth anniversary of the letter and is divided in four parts: (1) Historical, Pastoral and Theological perspectives; (2) The Church and Immigration Policy; (3) Special Populations; and (4) Looking Back, Looking Ahead. [End Page 85]

The authors in each section provide a historical and comprehensive perspective on the issue of migration, elaborate the specific themes that are explored in the pastoral letter, and provide an account of how those themes have been debated, analyzed, and adapted by advocates and critics and especially policy makers in the intervening ten years.

The pastoral efforts to respond to the needs of new immigrants and to recognize and promote the numerous gifts that they bring to the church and to U.S. society are also explored. This includes the recognition of immigrants as agents and contributors to the life of the church and local communities as leaders and servants. The absence of any substantive call to action to the members of the church in Mexico is also noted by one of the authors.

Throughout the volume, the authors identify the various elements that have formed the tapestry of immigration laws and policies in the history of the United States and the role that the church has played in those debates. The family, family unity, and family reunification, for example, have been a top priority during that time for church leaders. In addition, the protection of immigrant workers including just wages and working conditions have formed a part of their positions.

The obstacles and political realities that derailed the adoption of comprehensive immigration reform legislation in the U.S. Congress over the past fifteen years are explored in detail and the specific stumbling blocks that contributed to this failure are identified and examined. As in all legislative endeavors, the necessary compromises to achieve consensus proved difficult to attain and they presented leaders and negotiators with difficult choices.

The complexity of immigration reform and the numerous elements, priorities, and choices that it presents in the twenty-first century have reached new levels of intensity and have seen an increased number of interest groups active in the debate. The reality of continuous campaigning by political parties, a polarized twenty-four hour a day mass media, and a much divided body politic have only made the task more difficult. The fact that local and state jurisdictions have taken it upon themselves to adopt legislation that addresses specific problems that immigrants face or create in their jurisdictions has in some instances made the debate more challenging.

This volume is a must read for anyone who wants to learn about the issues that need to be addressed if the country is going to achieve comprehensive immigration reform and understand the challenges that the church faces in adopting and promoting policy responses that are consistent with the tradition and the gospel. It also identifies a number of the questions that will need to be examined by the U.S. [End Page 86] conference of bishops and others as the country searches for constructive policy solutions to the vexing and human challenges that a broken immigration system continues to multiply.

Séamus P. Finn OMI
Missionary Oblates JPIC
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