Allin Joins Plea for Immigration Amendment
Episcopal News Service. July 26, 1984 [84149]
NEW YORK (DPS, July 26) -- Presiding Bishop John M. Allin joined with 10 other church leaders in a June 13 ecumenical letter to members of the House of Representatives regarding the Cuban-Haitian Adjustment Act of 1984.
The bill was originally introduced by Peter W. Rodino, Jr., who chairs the House Judiciary Committee. It ultimately became an amendment to the Simpson-Mazzoli Bill, which was narrowly passed by the House. The Senate has also passed an immigration bill, and a House-Senate conference is currently seeking to reconcile the two.
Permanent resident status would be provided by the amendment to a restricted class of Cuban and Haitian boat people who arrived in the United States between early 1980 and January 1, 1982. About 125,000 Cubans and 31,000 Haitians are affected, including most of those who arrived during the 1980 boatlift, individuals given ad hoc "entrant" status, and a few who entered after that program.
The letter cited Church involvement in ministering to Cubans and Haitians in the U.S. and termed the Rodino amendment "a thoughtful and appropriate response to the Cuban and Haitian plight" noting: "The story of our government's treatment of Cubans and Haitians in the past few years is a sad one.... Not only have these refugees been left in an undefined status for the past four years, but also many who arrived subsequent to the 1980 'entrant' program, particularly the Haitians, were incarcerated for up to eighteen months while seeking status."
Heading the ecumenical group which signed the letter was Bishop Philip R. Cousin of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, President of the National Council of Churches of Christ. In addition to Cousin and Allin, the others were: the Rev. Dr. Robert Campbell, General Secretary, American Baptist Churches; the Rev. Dr. James Crumley, Jr., Bishop, Lutheran Church in America; the Rev. William Kohn, President, Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches, Robert Neff, General Secretary, Church of the Brethren; H. A. Penner, Director, U. S. Mennonite Central Committee; the Rev. Avery Post, President, United Church of Christ; Dr. David Preus, Bishop, American Lutheran Church; the Rev. Randolph Taylor, Moderator, 195th Assembly, Presbyterian Church U.S.A.; and Kenneth Teegarden, General Minister and President, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).