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Immigrants Protest As Bishop Blesses Welcome Center

Posted: 5:14 pm EST November 24, 2009Updated: 5:36 pm EST November 24, 2009

The Susan Zubik Welcome Center in Pittsburgh gpt the blessing of Pittsburgh Bishop David Zubik on Tuesday.

The center named after his mother will serve as a place for immigrants to prepare resumes, conduct job searches and improve their English.

While prayers were being said inside the center on Tuesday, a silent protest was going on outside by the very people Catholic Charities is supposed to be helping.

Paul Hler an immigrant from Karen, Burma said, “We are suffering. We want them to pay attention.”

Catholic Charities bring the immigrants here, but now the immigrants claim the help stops when they arrive. They said they want justice and to be paid for the work they do.

Hler said, “We have many people they put in to the job and then they didn't get paid."

Catholic Charities Executive Director, Susan Rauscher, said the group does a lot for the immigrants they bring in.

Rauscher said, "We put forth hundreds of thousands of dollars to help settle them on top of what little they get from the government. We do provide translation services whenever they need them. This is one of our most mission-oriented charities at Catholic Charities."

But the Coalition for Justice, another group trying to help them, said that just isn't so.

Chad Rink said, "They don't have jobs the jobs they do have are inadequate. Most are making $14,000 a year with families of six or eight. The federal poverty level is $35,370.”

Bishop David Zubik met outside the center with some of the protestors and has agreed to have a meeting with them.

Hler said, “We want to build our community here. We love Pittsburgh, we love Steelers, we love Penguins, we want to live in Pittsburgh."

Rink said, “From day one we wanted bring these issues to the Bishop and have him intercede on behalf of the refugees. It was great that he came out here to meet them."

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