Arizona's immigration crackdown both was inspired by and inspires fear.

"Panico." That's how Joel Navarette, the coordinator of the youth group at St. Agnes Church in Phoenix, describes the reaction to SB 1070, an immigration crackdown that Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed into law in April.

Despite opposition from the U.S. bishops, polls have shown broad local and national support of the law and desire for similar legislation in other states. 

With Arizona's new immigration law causing debate around the country, it's best to start off on the same page about the facts. Lawyer Tom Roach clears up some common misconception about immigration. 

The immigration debate is raging in America. There are an estimated 11 million illegal aliens in the United States and the proposals regarding what to do about them run the entire spectrum from "throw them all out" to "give them all Green Cards." Meanwhile there are many myths regarding who immigrates to the United States and why.

Parishes and dioceses often miss the mark when it comes to multiculturalism, argues Carmen Aguinaco. 

"We don't have anything in Spanish or geared to the Hispanic community here. We simply don't have any Hispanics," my pastor told me. "Are the Rodriguezes, the Lopezes, and the Garcias that I know in this neighborhood Polish?" I asked.

"No; but they have been here for so long, they'd rather attend the regular Mass."

Lady Liberty has seen many tempest tossed generations set foot upon these shores. With each new wave of immigrants, the American Catholic Church has become a harbor that gets wider and deeper by the year.