Bishop calls immigration law immoral

Oklahoma's new immigration law is immoral and unjust, Roman Catholic Bishop Edward J. Slattery declared in a pastoral letter made public this week.

It is only the second pastoral letter Slattery has written in his 14 years as bishop of the Diocese of Tulsa.

In it, he said ministry will not be withheld from illegal immigrants.

Slattery said the letter is a teaching document.

"I don't give my personal opinion. You won't find anything in there that is not in Scripture," he said.

"It's not my teaching, it's Christ's teaching, and I'm one with him because I'm one with the pope and the college of bishops worldwide......"

The immigration law, House Bill 1804, which went into effect Nov. 1, makes it a felony to knowingly transport illegal immigrants, creates barriers to hiring them and restricts benefits they can receive from the government.

In the 22-page pastoral letter, Slattery said that since the intention of HB1804 is immoral, its effects will be an intolerable increase in suffering of il legal immigrants, and those who must enforce the law....