The Washington Times
  • Subscribe
  • Times News Services
  • RSS
  • Mobile Headlines
  • e-edition
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • REGISTER
  • LOG IN
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • WELCOME
  • Your Profile
  • Log Out
  • Front Page Image
  • Classifieds
  • Autos
  • Real Estate
  • Jobs
  • Special Sections
  • Customer Service
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Sports
    • NFL
    • NBA/WNBA
    • MLB
    • NHL
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Motorsports
    • Soccer
    • NCAA
    • Olympics
    • Outdoors
    • Other
  • Culture
    • Home & Living
    • Family & Kids
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Health
    • Washington Visitors
    • Books
    • Military History
    • Life
    • Auto
    • TV Listings
    • Movie Listings
    • Death Notices
    • Entertainment
  • Themes
  • Communities
  • Marketplace
    • Autos
    • Jobs
    • Real Estate
    • Classifieds
    • Shopping
    • Dining Out
    • Education
    • TWT Store
  • Videos
    • Two Guys
    • Birnbaum on Washington
    • Liz Glover
    • Amanda Carpenter
    • Morning Briefing
    • Documentaries
    • Joe Giganti
    • Video Game Minute
  • Podcasts
    • About Headlines
    • Audio and Radio
    • America's Morning News
  • Politics

    Bill Clinton urges Dems to pass health bill

  • Security

    Obama: No religious faith justifies Fort Hood shootings

  • Local

    Gov. Kaine clears way for D.C. sniper's execution

  • Politics

    EXCLUSIVE: Warner: Obama misplayed health care debate

  • National

    Justices weigh juveniles' life without parole

  • National

    Leadership changes at The Times

  • National

    Hood suspect earlier came under FBI scrutiny

Monday, November 28, 2005

Mormons initiated protection on aliens

Rate this story

Average 0.00
after 0 votes
Login or register to rate this story

  • Font Size -+
  • Print
  • Email
  • Comment
  • Tweet this!
  • Share
  • Article
  • Comments ()
  • Click-2-Listen
  • Videos

More Stories

  • Obama: No religious faith justifies Fort Hood shootings
  • Bill Clinton urges Dems to pass health bill
  • Obama to send more troops to Afghanistan
  • Hood suspect earlier came under FBI scrutiny

By

The Mormon church arranged for a Utah senator to write a law to shield churches from prosecution for knowingly allowing illegal aliens to be ministers or do volunteer missionary work for them.

Kim Farah, a spokeswoman for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, released a statement saying the church asked Sen. Robert F. Bennett, Utah Republican, to sponsor the provision, which she called a "narrow exception to the immigration act."

"The law permits churches to use the volunteer services of their undocumented members by insulating the churches from criminal sanctions for doing so," she said.

She said she would not answer any further questions, including why the church needs access to illegal alien volunteers.

But now the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says it wants to revisit the provision and Rep. Tom Tancredo, Colorado Republican, has introduced a bill to repeal the exception.

"It removes an important legal tool for law enforcement and at the same time allows groups that would do us harm to legally conceal and transport people whom they know are in the United States illegally," Mr. Tancredo said in a letter asking Mr. Bennett to undo the measure.

His office has identified several examples of mosques and Muslim-related charities that have had illegal aliens as their leaders, including a mosque in California with two leaders who had stayed past the expiration of their visas. The men were both being investigated for potential ties to terrorism, but were deported on immigration charges.

Mr. Bennett is the chairman of the Appropriations Committee's agriculture subcommittee, and he added the section, which applies to any religious denomination or its affiliates, to the final agriculture spending bill. That bill passed both houses overwhelmingly and was signed into law Nov. 10.

Mary Jane Collipriest, Mr. Bennett's spokeswoman, said Mr. Tancredo is misinterpreting the law because it doesn't affect illegal aliens' status and does not shield them from being caught and deported. Volunteers can get room, board and other living expenses, but not a regular income.

She said the law "clarifies that a religious organization will not be in violation of federal immigration law should an undocumented alien, who is already in the United States, perform only volunteer ministry or missionary work for that religious organization."

12Next »

Post a comment

There are comments on this article, submit your opinion!

Commenting is disabled for this entry.
If you feel there is still something worth mentioning about this entry please contact the author or the site admin.

Ask a Question

You Report

Do you have another point of view, photos, audio, video or more information about a story?

Top Stories

Most Read

  1. KELLNER: New Apple mouse really is 'Magic'
  2. EXCLUSIVE: Rare virus poses new threat to troops
  3. EXCLUSIVE: Warner: Obama misplayed health care debate
  4. Parents buying homes for kids at college
  5. EDITORIAL: Too scared to recognize terrorism
More Top Stories »
  1. PRUDEN: Fatal reluctance to see evil
  2. Deer dies after leap into D.C. zoo lion exhibit
  3. Federal Reserve opposed as big bank savior by odd allies
  4. Court refuses to halt sniper's execution
  5. Gov. Kaine clears way for D.C. sniper's execution

Most Shared

  1. PRUDEN: Fatal reluctance to see evil
  2. KELLNER: New Apple mouse really is 'Magic'
  3. Defense nominee won't reveal potential conflicts
  4. 'Fuzzy math' could drive health bill cost higher
  5. EDITORIAL: Too scared to recognize terrorism
More Top Stories »
  1. Deer dies after leap into D.C. zoo lion exhibit
  2. EXCLUSIVE: Rare virus poses new threat to troops
  3. Parents buying homes for kids at college
  4. The siren call of Shariah
  5. Sinking dollar fuels new gold rush

Most Commented

  1. PRUDEN: Fatal reluctance to see evil
  2. 'Fuzzy math' could drive health bill cost higher
  3. EDITORIAL: Too scared to recognize terrorism
  4. Defense nominee won't reveal potential conflicts
  5. Lieberman vows probe of Hood rampage
More Top Stories »
  1. Health bill faces roadblocks in Senate
  2. Jihadists in the military
  3. EDITORIAL: Mr. Obama, stay away from this wall
  4. 'Anti-vaccine' attitude hampers H1N1 effort
  5. Hood suspect earlier came under FBI scrutiny

Listen to Washington Times Radio

  • America's Morning News

    with John McCaslin and Melanie Morgan

Blogs & Columns

  • POTUS Notes

    New Dem talking point on Obama approval doesn't wash

  • The Back Story

    12 arrested at Pelosi's office

  • Belief Blog

    New Vatican constitution released

  • Out of Context

    Foods that might kill libido

  • Technology

    Facebook wins round against phishing spammer

  • On the Fly

    United lifts some 'award' blocking

  • Redskins 360

    Hall, Portis on radio

  • Tara's Two Cents

    On their way to summer vacation..

  • SNOBlog

    Beyond 'Woody'

Videos

Advertising Links
TWT Store
  • e-edition
  • Print Edition
  • Weekly Washington Times
TWT Affiliates
  • Middle East Times
  • Golf
  • UPI
  • Arbor Ballroom
  • Washington Times Global
  • About TWT
  • Press Room
  • F.A.Q.
  • Work for TWT
  • Advertise
  • Sponsors
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site Map

All site contents © Copyright 2009 The Washington Times, LLC.