http://www.nydailynews.com/news/story/4 ... 8079c.html

Advocates knock Hillary's immig plan



BY DEREK ROSE
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Sen. Hillary Clinton's proposal for reforming America's immigration policies is shocking immigration advocates - but not because she's suggested building a fence at the Mexican border.
They oppose Clinton's call for a staggered reform effort, with legalization of illegal immigrants taking place "12 to 24 months" after border-control measures take effect.

"I was a little shocked by what she said," said Chung-Wha Hong, executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition. "You will never be able to secure the border without fixing the system - that's really wishful thinking."

A staged approach to reform would also keep millions "living in the shadows" for another year or two, Hong said. "I find that very hard to accept."

For an article published yesterday, Clinton (D-N.Y.) told Daily News columnist Michael Goodwin that reform could be packaged as "one piece of comprehensive legislation, with a staged implementation. ... A wall in certain areas would be appropriate."

Hong said immigration advocates aren't opposed to tighter border security measures, such as a wall, as part of comprehensive immigration reform.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for a group working to build a fence along private land on the border said he suspected Clinton was just posturing politically and didn't mean what she said.

"All these people keep saying these things, and nothing ever happens," said Tim Bueler of the Minuteman Project.

Originally published on April 24, 2006