A new alliance between conservative pro-reform constituencies including religious leaders, law enforcement and the business community adds momentum to the push for a sweeping overhaul of the nation’s immigration laws.
On a conference call Monday, leaders from the Texas Association of Business, the National Latino Evangelical Coalition and the National Immigration Forum joined former top law enforcement officials to announce the alliance, calling it “Bibles, Badges and Business.”
“For the last two years, conservative leaders who hold a Bible, wear a badge or own a business have gathered in the mountain west, the midwest, the southeast and our nation’s capital to forge a new consensus on immigrants in America, moving our nation closer to a 21th century immigration process,” Ali Noorani, the executive director of National Immigration Forum, told reporters. “And across the country and on the hill, these conversations are turning into action.”
He said “Bibles, Badges and Business for Immigration Reform” will not formally take positions on legislation but will espouse principles including creating a “road to lawful status and citizenship” for undocumented immigrants, respecting those who are waiting in line to become immigrants, modernizing laws for future flow of employment- and family-based immigration and recognizing the need for border security.
