Candidates say feds have failed on immigration
By TIM ZATZARINY Jr. • Staff Writer • October 19, 2009

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High property taxes might be the biggest issue on the minds of voters in New Jersey, but immigration reform is not far behind.



The question about how to handle the influx of illegal immigrants into the state is one that has vexed New Jersey officials.

Gov. Jon S. Corzine appointed a blue-ribbon panel in 2007 to study immigration policy. The issue is especially apparent in Cumberland County, which has a high number of migrant workers, many of whom are illegal immigrants.

Three candidates in the 1st Legislative District Assembly race said they oppose provisional driver's licenses and college tuition discounts for people in the country illegally, adding the federal government has failed to come up with a workable immigration reform plan.

Incumbent Democrats Nelson Albano and Matthew Milam are running against Republicans John McCann and Michael Donohue in the Nov. 3 election for two General Assembly seats representing the district, which includes Vineland and Millville.

"Last term, I think it was more of an issue," Albano said of immigration reform. "This year things have gotten ahead of that: the economy, jobs, property taxes. But it's still an issue that faces us every day.

"My theory on immigration is that anyone who comes into this country should go through the same process that our ancestors did. And that is to apply for citizenship. I don't blame anybody for wanting to come to America; it's the greatest country in the world."

Albano said taxpayers bear the burden when illegal immigrants use health care and educational systems.

Milam said there should be stricter penalties for employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants.

Most employers follow the law, he said, "but there's that miniscule percent who don't, to avoid payroll taxes. They're the scofflaws we want to get."

The federal government, Milam said, "has failed miserably in giving the state direction on this very important issue."

On the Republican side, Donohue said the federal government has "utterly failed" to deal with illegal immigration.

He opposes giving provisional licenses to illegal immigrants because, "I think it's a reward for people who have broken the law" by entering the country illegally, "and the problem is that undermines the law in a broader sense. If somebody wants to become a citizen and get a driver's license, they should follow the path and become a citizen."



In addition to opposing provisional driver's licenses, all three candidates said they would oppose allowing illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition at New Jersey's public colleges.

McCann could not be reached for comment for this article.

Donohue, Milam and Albano said they support the 287(g) Program, which allows local law enforcement officials to enforce federal immigration laws, including checking a person's immigration status.

Currently, only three law-enforcement agencies in New Jersey -- in Morristown, Monmouth County and Hudson County -- participate in the program, which pro-immigration and Latino groups oppose.

The focus is supposed to be on illegal immigrants when they're jailed, or when they're arrested for serious offenses such as violent crimes, and not on those charged with minor offenses such as traffic violations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials say.

However, Albano said, "if you stop somebody for a motor-vehicle violation and you find that person does not have any citizenship status in this state, the police should have the right to enforce the laws that go along with immigration."

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