Immigration plan ignites confusion

Due process, worker rights among concerns

Laura Frank And Lisa Ryckman, Rocky Mountain News

Published May 18, 2007 at midnight

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No matter what their immigration views, Coloradans seem to fall into two camps on the latest reform proposal: those unhappy with it, and those just confused by it.

"This paints the picture that all you have to do is sneak in the back door and we'll eventually give you amnesty," said Fred Elbel, of Defend Colorado Now, which waged a failed constitutional amendment campaign that led then-Gov. Bill Owens to call a special legislative session on immigration reform.

"I think our senators are trying to give their corporate interests an unending supply of cheap foreign labor at the expense of the American worker," he said.

The Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition doesn't like the proposal, either, but for different reasons.

"We find the elimination of the family immigration system, the creation of a new temporary worker program that would create a permanent underclass of workers with few rights and no ability to become citizens, and the limitations on due process to be anti-family, anti-worker and fundamentally un-American," the coalition said in a statement.

Jeff Joseph, one of Denver's top immigration attorneys, said he doesn't like the emphasis on job skills and education over family ties in the granting of visas. He said that smacks of elitism.

"I'm not making a value judgment, but this takes people with less education to the end of the line," he said.

Francisco Granados, of the Congregation Building Communities organization in Greeley, doesn't like the proposal's guest worker plan, which would create two- year visas that could be renewed three times. Granados said that doesn't reflect how illegal immigrants actually live and work.

"Most people I know work for farms," Granados said. "They don't want to stay here. They want to work during the farm season and go home. My question (about the proposed reform) would be, can they go home during those two years or do they have to stay here?"

Juliet Gilbert, a Denver immigration attorney who represents children, said the proposal raises more questions than it answers.

Would each person in a family of illegal immigrants have to pay $5,000 in fines for a new "Z Visa," or would that fine be for an entire family? Would immigrants be required to apply for legal permanent residency after a certain period of time, or could they simply keep renewing their Z visas?

What the Colorado delegation and other officials are saying

• "The amnesty plan will be a slap in the face to hard working Americans and those who have come here to work legally. The president is so desperate for a legacy and a domestic policy win that he is willing to sell out the American people and our national security."

Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Littleton

• "He remains concerned that our borders are protected and current laws are enforced, but he looks forward to reviewing any legislation that could provide a common-sense solution to the 12 million or so illegal immigrants . . . in the United States."

Steve Wymer, spokesman for Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Loveland

• "I believe our top priorities when considering immigration reform should be the security of the American people and the security of U.S. borders. It is also vital that we have a tamper-proof ID system, and a new worker program to maintain a vibrant economy."

Rep. John Salazar, D-Manassa

• "She is pleased the Senate is moving forward with a comprehensive immigration reform proposal that is similar to the one she is supporting in the House."

Lisa Cohen, chief of staff for Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Denver

• "The congressman is very disppointed in it. He thinks it's a missed opportunity. There are a lot of elements relating to amnesty and that's what he is concerned about." Chris Harvin, spokesman for Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colorado Springs

• "I support enforcing our borders, improving the employer verification program, and I continue to oppose any plan to grant amnesty to illegal aliens."

Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, R-Fort Morgan

• "We must enforce current immigration laws . . . crack down on employers who hire illegal workers, improve the process for temporary work visas, and provide an earned pathway to legal status. The Senate bill . . . seems to address many of these issues."

Rep. Ed Perlmutter, D-Golden

• "It looks as if it is a watered down version of last year's Senate bill that didn't gain any traction. We're basically saying to Mexico 'flee to the U.S. as soon as possible.' "

State Rep. Dave Schultheis, R-Colorado Springs

• "When a system is broken like this, I think you have two choices. You can either enforce the law you've got or reform the law you've got. I think the feds have chosen largely to do neither and what we need is actually both. So, I'm glad that there are signs of progress in Washington."

Andrew Romanoff, D-Denver, Speaker of the Colorado House

• "The Senate deal fails the test of securing the borders first and foremost. It concerns me that we have amnesty by another name for 10 to 20 million law breakers."

John Andrews, former Republican president of the Colorado State Senate

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