Mormons on opposite sides in immigration fight [members search teachings while leaders stay silent]

No matter how much the LDS Church would like to remain neutral on the issue of illegal immigration, Mormon activists on opposite sides draw on their faith's doctrines or practices to buoy their positions.

Russell Pearce, the Arizona senator who proposed that state's tough anti-immigration law, is LDS and hails from Mesa, a stronghold of Mormonism.

Pearce did not return messages seeking comment for this story. But, according to Rep. Stephen Sandstrom, R-Orem, the Arizona lawmaker builds his case on the Utah-based church's 12th Article of Faith, which says Mormons believe in "obeying, honoring and sustaining the law."

That also is a key belief for Sandstrom, a Mormon who has met with Pearce several times and hopes to introduce a similar bill in Utah.

"We are a country with the rule of law," said Sandstrom, who served an LDS mission in Venezuela. "That's the only way a country can prosper."

On the opposite side are Latter-day Saints who argue for a more complex and humane approach to immigration. They point to church teachings about taking care of one's family, being hospitable to the stranger and building the kingdom of God.

Those who come into this country illegally make hard choices, Garcia said. "It's a violation of the law, sure, but circumstances often force people to decide to break one law to obey the higher law."

Despite such roiling debates among its members, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has given no clear-cut guidance on this issue. The church has taken no stand on the Arizona bill, spokesman Scott Trotter said Thursday.

The church takes a sort-of "don't ask, don't tell" approach to the immigration status of its own members. Some estimate that 50 percent to 75 percent of members in Utah's 100-plus Spanish-speaking congregations are undocumented. That includes many bishops, branch presidents, even stake presidents. The church sends missionaries among undocumented immigrants across the country, baptizing many of them without asking about their status. It also allows them to go to the temple and on missions.

"We're not agents of the immigration service, and we don't pretend to be," LDS apostle Jeffrey R. Holland told The Salt Lake Tribune last year, "and we also don't break the law."

In January 2008, Marlin Jensen, a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy, was assigned by LDS President Thomas S. Monson to urge Utah legislators to use "compassion" in their immigration legislation.

That didn't stop Utah's mostly LDS lawmakers from passing SB81, which took effect last July and tightened enforcement while limiting immigrants' access to some services.

Sandstrom does not advocate denying emergency care for undocumented immigrants, but believes "true compassion should be for those who can't come here legally because of the huge numbers who are here illegally."

And he doesn't care if they are Mormons, Catholics or adherents of any other faith. The law is the law.

On several occasions, Sandstrom said, he has shared his legislative proposals on illegal immigration with LDS officials.

"Not one of them told me to 'cease and desist,' " he said. "I've been told to do what I feel is right for the state and my constituents."

No, the LDS Church has not come out as strongly against these anti-immigration measures as the Catholics or the Evangelical Association, he said. Behind the scenes, however, Mormon leaders "do not support such draconian efforts."

Mormon conservatives seem to feel that not only is the United States being invaded by foreigners, but also their homes, their churches and their congregations, he said. "But the Latter-day Saint who sees the work of the church as becoming a global faith are not running around complaining about immigrants."

"I don't think the intent of the Article of Faith was to make us vigilantes and gatekeepers and create anti-immigrant rhetoric and climate," said Ignacio Garcia, a Brigham Young University history professor. Those who come into this country illegally make hard choices, Garcia said. "It's a violation of the law, sure, but circumstances often force people to decide to break one law to obey the higher law".
Despite such roiling debates among its members, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has given no clear-cut guidance on this issue. The church has taken no stand on the Arizona bill, spokesman Scott Trotter said Thursday.

The church takes a sort-of "don't ask, don't tell" approach to the immigration status of its own members. Some estimate that 50 percent to 75 percent of members in Utah's 100-plus Spanish-speaking congregations are undocumented. That includes many bishops, branch presidents, even stake presidents. The church sends missionaries among undocumented immigrants across the country, baptizing many of them without asking about their status. It also allows them to go to the temple and on missions.

as Governor of Massachusetts hired illegals for the family mansion in Belmont?
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As a political candidate, I can’t stand Romney! But...Let’s be fair.

If I remember correctly, Romney contracted with a landscaping company. The landscaping company hired the illegals. Do you honestly expect him to check on the immigration status of employees hired by another company.

Gee! My husband and I live in a PUD ( planned urban development). The homeowners association is using the services of a landscaping company. I have absolutely no idea if the workers mowing the lawn are legal or illegal.

We just had a closet built as well. We used a contractor with a long standing reputation in the community. Do I know if his workers are legal? I haven’t the faintest idea.

If I remember correctly, Romney contracted with a landscaping company. The landscaping company hired the illegals. Do you honestly expect him to check on the immigration status of employees hired by another company.

Yeah, I expect him to check when he has already been made aware of the problem!

We have had enough of this coddling of lawbreakers in this country. What reason would we have to trust Romney to do any more about this problem than present and past administrations have done?

Standing on stage at a Republican debate on the Gulf Coast of Florida last week, Mitt Romney repeatedly lashed out at rival Rudy Giuliani for providing sanctuary to illegal immigrants in New York City.

Yet, the next morning, on Thursday, at least two illegal immigrants stepped out of a hulking maroon pickup truck in the driveway of Romney's Belmont house, then proceeded to spend several hours raking leaves, clearing debris from Romney's tennis court, and loading the refuse onto the truck.

In fact, their work was part of a regular pattern. Even after a Globe story in December 2006 highlighted Romney's use of a landscaping company that employs illegal immigrants to tend to his grounds, Romney continued to employ Community Lawn Service With a Heart - until yesterday. The company continued to employ illegal immigrants.

Link

The Globe broke the story on December 1 that Romney, a potential candidate for president in 2008 and an outspoken critic of illegal immigration, used a landscaping company that relies heavily on illegal immigrants to maintain grounds surrounding his home in Belmont, Massachusetts. According to the Globe, the landscaping company's owner, Ricardo Saenz, "said he met Romney through the Mormon Church and said Romney has used his company's services for a decade." The Globe added that "Saenz said Romney never asked him if his workers are legal immigrants."

Link

Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Mormonism? What About the Sanctuary Mansion? [Byron York]

Mitt Romney's campaign has just sent out notice that Romney has fired the lawn-service company that employed illegal aliens – making Romney's home a "sanctuary mansion," in the words of Rudy Giuliani's attack at last week's Republican debate. "Today, I fired a landscaping company that I learned was employing people who are not permitted to work here in the United States," Romney said in a statement. "After this same issue arose last year, I gave the company a second chance with very specific conditions. They were instructed to make sure people working for the company were of legal status. We personally met with the company in order to inform them about the importance of this matter. The owner of the company guaranteed us, in very certain terms, that the company would be in total compliance with the law going forward. The company's failure to comply with the law is disappointing and inexcusable, and I believe it is important I take this action."

Romney also released the text of his letter to Ricardo Saenz of Community Lawn Service in Chelsea, Massachusetts:

Dear Mr. Saenz:

Today I learned that employees of your company, who were assigned to work on my property, are not permitted to work in the United States. Given your company’s disregard for the clear instructions provided on this issue last year, I am forced to terminate my contract with your company, effective immediately. My family will no longer utilize your services and all scheduled visits are cancelled as of today.

I am disappointed that our relationship must end on this note, but we simply cannot tolerate your inability to ensure that your employees are legally permitted to work in the United States. Thank you for your assistance.

Sincerely,

Mitt Romney

Link

From another website...

Why Illegal Aliens are Atttracted to Mormonism

Anyone who is away from home is more vulnerable. Here ya go—instant friends! The immigrants can, within a few days, belong to this very important (self-important), dominant group. The LDS church pretends to control all the jobs, the government, the Nation! The missionaries offer to teach them and their children English for free!These poor suckers don’t know yet how small this puny cult really is, and that they turn down people who apply for welfare.

Also, foreigners aren’t very well acquainted with America’s slick Madison Avenue sales techniques, which the LDS missionaries are trained to use.

I can understand why Hispanics leave TSCC in droves. My impression is that they are culturally a warm, loving, group-oriented people—and the Mormon church is very cold, “peculiar,” the friendships are fake and conditional, and they don’t teach, preach, or practice LOVE there. I much prefer the Mexican culture to the institution of those half-dead old white-guy geezers in colorless SLC. Yikes—compare the music and the art. Mormonism is so stifling.

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