By Catholic News Service

NEW YORK (CNS) -- In letters to the U.S. senators representing New York state, Cardinal Edward M. Egan of New York asked for their support for immigration reform that is comprehensive, fair and humane.

The cardinal urged Democratic Sens. Charles E. Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton to back measures that would provide undocumented workers with a pathway to permanent legal status, expand opportunities for family reunification, develop a rational and fair temporary worker program and restore due process to immigrants.

He asked them to oppose legislation that would criminalize undocumented immigrants for their presence in the United States and also penalize individuals or groups, including churches and hospitals, that help meet immigrants' most basic needs.

The Senate Judiciary Committee was to continue its consideration of immigration reform proposals March 27.

In December, the House passed an immigration bill that would tighten the border by building a huge fence along part of the U.S.-Mexican border, increase the number of Border Patrol agents and increase penalties against employers who hire illegal immigrants. It also would make illegal entry into the United States a crime, as opposed to the civil offense it is now, and would penalize people who aid illegal immigrants.

A March 21 news release from the New York Archdiocese said Cardinal Egan has spoken out "on several occasions of late" about the fact that the United States and New York in particular were built through the efforts of immigrants and that "we need to extend to new arrivals the understanding and opportunities that were extended to others in the past."In Philadelphia, Cardinal Justin Rigali has joined with other religious leaders in calling for a comprehensive and humane approach to immigration reform.

"Together, we can create an immigration system that reflects our national values, promotes our national security and is worthy of our great nation -- a nation of immigrants," he said.

Cardinal Rigali emphasized that true reform must address "all aspects of our nation's immigration system, not simply law enforcement," if it is to be fair to real people in real-life situations.

He was joined in his call by an interfaith group that included Rabbi Alan Iser of Congregation Or Shalom in Berwyn, Pa.; Bishop Roy Almquist of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; Bishop Charles Bennison of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania; and Sheik Mohammed Shehata of the Al-Aqsa Islamic Society in Philadelphia.

"The strength of our country lies in our families," Sheik Shehata said. An immigration reform that doesn't deal with the issue of family separation is preying on the weakest in the country -- namely the children, he added.

Contributing to this story was Nadia Pozo in Philadelphia.

Copyright (c) 2006 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops