Cardinal: ''End Immigration Raids''

Chicago, IL. - The president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on Saturday called on the White House to end immigration raids that split up families. Cardinal Francis George, archbishop of Chicago and leader of the U.S. Roman Catholic bishops' conference, spoke at a northwest Chicago church.

His comments were greeted by cheers from the hundreds gathered. Without naming President Barack Obama, George said the current administration can fulfill its promises of change by working toward immigration reform.

"I stand with other faith leaders and all of you gathered here today and with every immigrant family in this nation to call on our government to end immigration raids and the separation of families," George said.

The raids are part of stepped-up federal enforcement targeting undocumented immigrants. George said stopping the raids would show the administration's sincerity to voters in the immigrant community. The rally was part of a 17-city series of meetings organized by advocates of changes to U.S. immigration policy.

Carlos Villanueva, 19, of Chicago, said he attended because he has had family and friends deported. "Barack Obama knows that the cardinal speaks for a lot of people, including me," Villanueva said.

Margaret Sents, 61, of Glenview, said her daughter-in-law is being threatened with deportation. "I'm glad to see he's involved and on the job," she said of George. "He needs to be."