Republican, Catholic Split Over Immigration

The national immigration debate is muddying Republican relationswith Roman Catholics – coveted swing voters who comprise aboutone-quarter of the electorate.

While Catholic bishops andmany Republican politicians share opposition to abortion, they’re oftensplit over the specifics of immigration reform. Church leaders arechallenging – and in some cases even vowing to defy – the tougherenforcement proposals by GOP lawmakers.

The issue highlightsthe roadblocks that the Catholic worldview creates for Republicans andDemocrats. Catholics are generally conservative on personal issues suchas marriage, but tend to be liberal on social justice problems,limiting the appeal of both major parties and leaving Catholics”politically homeless,” said the Rev. James L. Heft, president of theInstitute of Advanced Catholic Studies at the University of SouthernCalifornia.

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