Federal Law Allows Religious Groups to Harbor Illegals

Congressman Tancredo Introduces Repeal of Provision Signed into Law Last Week

Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-CO) plans to introduce a bill to repeal a dangerous federal law passed last week that allows religious groups to “conceal, harbor, or shield” illegal aliens from detection.

Section 796 of the Agriculture Appropriations Bill, which was signed by the President last Friday, allows religious organizations to harbor illegal aliens so long as the organization encourages or enables the illegal alien to be a volunteer minister or missionary.

“This provision opens a hole in our immigration system so big, a terrorist could drive a truck bomb through it,” said Tancredo. “Terrorists in the United States have used religious organizations as fronts before. This provides legal cover for any church, synagogue, mosque or group that calls itself a religion to aid and abet illegals who may pose a national security threat.”The provision was slipped into the farm subsidy bill by the Senate during the final days of the bill’s passage. Congressman Tancredo was made aware of the change after the President signed it into law.

“A religious organization could actively conceal a terrorist who is an illegal alien, transporting him across the country, and providing him with food and housing, and never break the law,” said Tancredo. “How something that threatens this nation’s security can become law is absolutely mind-numbing.”

Tancredo concluded, “This goes to show how little the government cares about catching illegal aliens. The lawmakers who authored this provision should step forward and explain themselves.
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