http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_4204530

editorial
Politics in immigration debate

By The Denver Post
DenverPost.com

Wayne Allard is bringing the Senate Budget Committee to Colorado later this month to conduct a field hearing on illegal immigration. Perhaps it's a coincidence that ruling Republicans scheduled the hearing in the heart of the 7th Congressional District, where one of the nation's most hotly contested House races is underway.

Maybe it was just the luck of the draw that landed at least 15 of the 21 House immigration hearings in battleground districts around the country.

We'd like to think that Congress is not wasting taxpayer time and money on cheap politics, but if Congress was really interested in resolving the nation's immigration problems, Republican leaders would be working to reconcile the House and Senate legislation rather than conducting campaign season show hearings.

The Aug. 30 hearing in Aurora will focus on the cost of illegal immigration to federal, state and local governments.

Allard's chief of staff, Sean Conway, tells us there's no political motivation in having the hearing in the 7th CD. Democrats have dismissed the hearings as a political stunt to obscure the Republicans' failure to advance any significant immigration reform.

In the 7th, Republican Rick O'Donnell's campaign has identified illegal immigration as "hands down the No. 1 issue" of voters in the district. He supports tougher border security and penalizing employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants. He opposes a guest-worker program and amnesty.

Democratic opponent Ed Perlmutter supports securing the border and ports of entry, too, as well as sanctioning employers who hire illegals and creating a "path to earned citizenship which includes learning English."

The House passed legislation last December focused on tightening border security and increasing penalties for those here illegally. There is no provision for a guest-worker program, as promoted by President Bush.The Senate bill provided border security, a guest-worker program and a pathway to citizenship. House and Senate lawmakers should be focused on reconciling their differences, not on playing election-year politics.