The consequences of deportation
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William H. Westhoff
Published: August 11, 2008
At the 2008 National Migration Conference, the Catholic bishop of Guatemala asked the Director of ICE: “Are you conscious of the consequences of deportation on families and on the economies of their
home countries?” Some county Board of County Supervisor leaders, who adamantly support the strictest enforcement of deportation laws are graduates of major U.S. Catholic universities.
Therefore one wonders what the bishop knows and they do not?
Answer: the bishop knows Guatemala. Twenty-two years after the end of 36 years of U.S. involvement in its civil war the top 10 percent of its 2.5 million citizens keep 50 percent of the country’s income.
The 32 percent at the bottom of its society exist on $2 or less per day.
Also telling is that 70 percent of the land is still owned by 2 percent of the people. Last year, 16,000 Guatemalans were deported and, through this June, another 13,000. In 2007, Guatemalans in the U.S.
remitted $4.1 billion to their families. That amount spread to the 45 percent of the poorest Guatemalans would be about $10 each per day, but it is not so evenly disturbed.
The U.S. is the world’s wealthiest country.
Many citizens of other countries, states and counties view the immigration actions of Prince William, once the nation’s seventh wealthiest counties, with shocked despair. Considering all this, the
bishop’s question appears to be rhetorical — it reminds many there will be in the future, a perfect judgment of everyone that will consider all the facts.
WILLIAM H. WESTHOFF
Woodbridge
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Reader Reactions
Posted by ( PWCMom ) on August 12, 2008 at 7:44 am
The only comment I can see here is yet another excuse to ignore US law. The Catholic Church has historically taken positions in conflict with US law-abortion, immigration, etc. However, I don’t see them working with the foreign governments to improve the lives of the people in the countries they are targeting. Ask them, and they say that is a government thing and not a church thing. Well, if you aren’t going to propose or act within the constraints of the law (US immigration laws) and try to resolve a problem (poverty in Guatemala), then to complain and criticize publicly is nothing but hypocritical. I am all for a separation of church and state (as it SHOULD be), however, criticism without constructive and reflective action or suggestions is counter productive and only serves to show just how shallow you can be.
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Posted by ( willow703 ) on August 12, 2008 at 7:39 am
Had the attempt of the Marxists to take over Guatemala succeeded what would be the situation be today? The top 2 percent of the population (the Marxists) would own all of the land & they would control all of the income. Also the Catholic bishop of Guatemala would be out of a job, if not wasting away in prison. One need only look at North Korea, after 63 years of “independence” & Cuba after 106 years of “independence” & 50 years of Marxist rule, to see the most likely result.
The bishop would better serve his country by questioning the actions of that 2 percent of its’ population.
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