Letter: Response to Catholic Charities column didn't get it right

Catholic Charities does not encourage illegal immigration and does not support "open borders" groups. Catholic Charities provides representation in court to low-income immigrants who have a legal right to be in the United States. We help people understand the laws and sometimes our advice to people is they have no legal basis for remaining in this country.

If it were feasible, limiting the supply of people willing to work for low wages would lead to higher labor costs and rising prices, there would be no net gain for people. My column called for the basic necessities of life to be available to the working poor at prices they could afford to pay.

For example, accepting there will be thousands of working families with take-home pay of $1,500 per month, their housing costs (rent/utilities) need to be around $450. That housing supply does not exist.

Michael Husted, Executive director, Catholic Charities

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