The New Wine Press February 2018 | Page 8

Strong gun laws and strict background checks are associated with lower gun deaths. The present feder- al gun laws allow that 40% of all firearms transferred in the United States are done without background checks. Should Congress not pass laws to close this massive loophole? We also need to ban the sale of assault rifles and high capacity ammunition magazines. These are not the tools of hunters. We Precious Blood Missionaries can play an active role in changing attitudes and beliefs in this discussion about the proliferation of guns. There are numerous groups and organizations working against gun violence. We encourage you to find a group and get involved. (Our Justice and Peace Office can provide the names and information of these groups.) And, by all means, let your representative and sena- tors know how you feel about this critical issue. Immigration I have shared with you my thoughts on immigra- tion over the course of last year. While we continue to promote a just and comprehensive reform of our broken immigration system, we should advocate now for those referred to as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (daca). These Dreamers contribute their gifts to our country, the only country they have ever known, and they need to have a law regularizing their immigration status. Take action on Dreamers. National Migration Week was January 7-18. The theme for National Migration Week 2018, “Many Journeys, One Family,” drew attention to th