Liberal Democratic Senators Robert Menendez of New Jersey and Patrick Leahy of Vermont introduced their "Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act" on September 29. Of course its centerpiece is a "pathway" to citizenship for the "undocumented," which critics would call amnesty for illegals. It also includes a "Uniting American Families Act" (UAFA) allowing "permanent partners" of U.S. citizens, which seems to mean same-sex couples, to obtain U.S. residency.
Speaking for the Catholic bishops, who typically support liberalized immigration, Bishop John Wester of Salt Lake City reportedly wrote Senator Menendez explaining "that a controversial provision, which would confer marriage-like immigration benefits to same-sex couples," would "preclude the U.S. bishops from supporting" it as introduced. Bishop Wester noted that the same-sex provision "in a comprehensive immigration reform bill will make it far more difficult to achieve the compromise that will be needed in order to enact a fair and balanced comprehensive immigration reform bill." Last year, Wester warned against similar legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives that would "erode the institution of marriage and family by according marriage-like immigration benefits to same sex relationships, a position that is contrary to the very nature of marriage which pre-dates the Church and the state."
