Mormon church said let immigrants "square" with law - Reuters

By James Nelson

SALT LAKE CITY. Friday, June 10, 2011 7 pm EDT

SALT LAKE CITY (Reuters) - Mormon Church Friday have worried about a raft of laws on immigration status and appeared to support an illegal immigrants guest-worker program that "square themselves to the law."

The statement by the Church of latter-day Saints of Christ at the time where the United States have shown increasing willingness to fight against illegal immigration - an issue traditionally managed by the federal authorities.

"The history of mass deportation or ill-treatment of persons or families is of particular concern where race, culture, or religion are involved", the Church said in a statement published on its Web site.

"This should give pause to any policy which provides targeting any group, especially if this group is primarily a heritage."

The said Church immigration ultimately issues must be resolved by the Federal Government.

"The Church of Jesus Christ of Saints feared that any legislation that contains only the implementing provisions is likely by far of the moral norm of treating each other as children of God", said the Church.

While the Church consider not any specific proposal in his statement, it appeared to embrace the general concept to allow illegal immigrants to earn their right to remain in the country legally.

"The Church supports an approach where undocumented immigrants are allowed to themselves square with the law and continue to work without this necessarily leading to citizenship," said the statement.

Governor of Arizona Jan Brewer triggered a scandal in April 2010, when she signed SB-1070, a law that requires a police check the status of immigration of any person they hold or stop.

A federal judge has blocked then the more controversial provisions of this Act, a decision which was upheld by a Federal Court of appeal in April.

In March, Utah Governor Gary Herbert signed a package of four laws on immigration, including an application similar to the Arizona measure and a guest-worker program.

A federal judge quickly blocked the disposition of the application of the Act and the opponents have said they will seek to repeal the guest workers program, they say amounts to Amnesty.

In may, Governor of Georgia Nathan Deal signed a tough new crackdown on illegal immigrants which is similar to that adopted in Arizona.

And Thursday, Governor of the Alabama Robert Bentley has signed, in law, a crackdown on illegal immigration, that the supporters and detractors consider the most stringent in the nation.

(Written by Dan Whitcomb;) (Editing by Jerry Norton)

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