U.S. National Migration Week: We are strangers no longer

(Vatican Radio) "We are Strangers No Longer: Our Journey of Hope Continues" is the theme of National Migration Week that is being observed by the U.S. Church from January 6-12. As part of this observance, the Catholic Bishops are launching a postcard campaign calling for comprehensive immigration reform. Kevin Appleby is Director of the Church's Office of Migration and Refugee Policy and he spoke to Vatican Radio's Susy Hodges.

Listen to the extended interview with Kevin Appleby:

Asked about are the chances of President Obama being able to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill in his second term, Appleby says there there is now "more support for this issue" than for many other issues, especially among the Catholic population: "60-70 % of Catholics support reforms to the immigration system" allowing undocumented immgrants to gain "a path to citizenship." He believes "the chances (of passing an immigration reform bill) are better than they have been in several years." Such a reform, Appleby continues, would allow "over 11 milion undocumented immgrants in our county to come out of the shadows."

When it comes to what type of immigration reform bill the Church would like to see, Appleby says a key objective is "to preserve family reunification as a cornerstone of our immigration system ... families should be kept together." He says life for the undoucmented migrants living in the U.S. is highly stressful and precarious. "The migrants are always living in fear that they may be detained and deported" ... and they represent "a permanent underclass in our society."