Bill to be considered by Senate while Catholic Priest Declares Bill Frist Ain't the Pope

In a New York Times editorial, Roger Mahony stands by statements he made last month to encourage priests from his archdiocese to disobey pending immigration laws. HR 4437 was passed by the House in December and will enter the Senate next week. Provisions of the bill include a broadening of what is considered "alien smuggling" with felonies potentially being dished out to those that assist "illegal" immigrants. While countless businesses depend on paying minimal wages for immigrant labor, the proposed bill also allows for fines of up to $40,000 to be leveled at organizations that help immigrants find work without checking on their legal status. Opponents say the bill will "relegate immigrants to a perennial underclass" and are planning a national day of protest on April 10. In Cleveland, the Greater Cleveland Immigrant Support Network is holding a demonstration tomorrow, Friday March 24th, in front of Cleveland City Hall at 5pm.