In addition to the recent nationwide public events and worship services for immigration I mentioned last week, 300 (!) clergy recently gathered in Houston to release a Houston Interfaith Statement on Humane Immigration Reform and launch a campaign for reform this year. Among their key policy priorities were family unity, detention reform, protection for workers, and creating a legalization process for the undocumented.

Several members of the coalition, including prominent Catholic, Baptist, Lutheran and Episcopal clergy, also penned an op-ed in Saturday's Houston Chronicle that articulated their position, addressed common objections to reform, and grounded their beliefs in scripture. The size and diversity of the group befits such a large and diverse city as Houston, and shows the remarkable unifying power of immigration reform in the faith community.