For Immediate Release June 25, 2012

Contact: Patricia Cole (571) 527-3244

Catholic Charities USA President Rev. Larry Snyder Responds to SCOTUS Ruling on Immigration with Hope and Caution
Remains concerned that provision allowing police checks on immigration status was not struck down
Alexandria, VA Rev. Larry Snyder, President and CEO of Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA), issued the following statement in response to todays Supreme Court decision: Catholic Charities USA joins the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in greeting todays Supreme Court decision on the Arizona immigration law with hope and caution. We are pleased with the Courts decision to strike down the provisions that would have allowed warrantless arrests of people suspected of a deportable offense and would have criminalized job seeking and undocumented presence in the state. However, we remain concerned that they did not strike down the provision that requires law enforcement officials to check the immigration status of innocent individuals. Comprehensive reform of our immigration system is one of the fundamental principles of our Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America. We are hopeful that todays decision will encourage members of Congress to work together to enact comprehensive immigration policies that not only promote the security of our nation, but also put undocumented workers and their families on a path to lawful permanent residency and citizenship. Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) is a member of the Justice for Immigrants (JFI) campaign, a diverse group of Catholic organizations with national networks whose goal is to unite and mobilize a growing network of Catholic institutions, individuals, and other persons of good faith in support of comprehensive immigration reform. For additional information about JFI please visit www.justiceforimmigrants.org. About Catholic Charities USA Catholic Charities USA is the national office for Catholic Charities agencies nationwide. Catholic Charities USAs members provide help and create hope for more than 10 million people a year regardless of religious, social, or economic backgrounds. For almost 300 years, Catholic Charities agencies have worked to reduce poverty by providing a myriad of vital services in their communities, ranging from health care and job training to food and housing. ###