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http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/155615

Panel to examine immigration
By Lourdes Medrano
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 11.12.2006
Leading immigration experts will converge in Phoenix this week for a national symposium on one of the nation's most volatile topics.
Scholars, economists and politicians will be among those examining the complexities of illegal immigration in a local, as well as a global, context.
The daylong gathering comes at a time when illegal immigration has risen to the top of the nation's domestic agenda — and deeply divided the country.
But the symposium is not a forum for rhetoric, said Lauren Hunter of the Communications Institute, one of the sponsors. Rather, Hunter said, the event will offer an objective look at the politics of immigration reform and various other aspects of illegal immigration, including its economic impact.
"We are simply providing a framework for folks to better understand all the forces at play," Hunter said.
The symposium, to be held at the Arizona State Capitol, also will feature a special report on Arizona immigrants.
Georges Vernez, director of the Center for Research on Immigration Policy, is one of several panelists scheduled to participate in one of several panel discussions.
His panel will focus on what states can do to maximize benefits from immigration while minimizing negative effects.
"The benefits of illegal immigration are mostly economic," Vernez said Friday. On the negative impact, he included the strain on public education and some health services.
"It's important to debate illegal immigration until we reach a consensus on what to do, or not to do, about it," Vernez said.
In addition to the Communications Institute, a California group formed by a consortium of academic and research institutions and scholars, other sponsors are the University of Arizona, the University of Southern California, the RAND Corp., Congressional Quarterly, the Thomas R. Brown Foundation and The Arizona Daily Star in association with the Arizona Newspaper Association.