Contact: Jenny Hwang, Director of Advocacy and Policy, World Relief, 443-451-1969, jhwang@wr.org

BALTIMORE, May 9 /Christian Newswire/ -- Evangelical leaders plunged into the highly-charged immigration debate Wednesday, calling on President Bush and Congress to show compassion towards immigrant families caught in legal limbo.

Representatives of major evangelical denominations, churches and advocacy groups meeting in Baltimore Wednesday urged lawmakers to make compassion the cornerstone of immigration reform in 2007.

"We are aware of the obstacles that immigrants face, especially undocumented individuals, because they are vital members of our churches, our communities and our nation," the leaders said in a joint statement.

The evangelicals – representing some 30 million Christians across the U.S. including the Baptist General Conference and the Assemblies of God – described immigration as "one of this century's critical issues for the church and this nation."

Highlighting the widely-publicized deportation case of a Chicago woman seeking refuge in a local church, Sammy Mah, President of Baltimore-based World Relief which hosted the event, said: "The untold story is that there are thousands of frightened individuals who have come to local churches seeking help and understanding. That's why there's a desperate need for immigration reform and for churches to engage in this debate."

The evangelicals' declaration calls on Congress and President Bush to reduce visa waiting times for separated families, create more opportunities for migrant workers, implement border controls "consistent with humanitarian values," and place certain undocumented workers already in the U.S. on a path to legalization and eventual citizenship.

For more information and to arrange interviews, please contact:

Jenny Hwang, Director of Advocacy and Policy, World Relief

jhwang@wr.org Tel: 443-451-1969