Todd Kunz Reports
Tucsonans react to immigration proposal

May 18, 2007 11:31 AM PDT

The Senate has made a landmark deal with the White House. They have reached an agreement on a new immigration reform bill.

The plan calls for more patrols and enforcement by building more, and better, fences. The bill also cracks down on employers and businesses who hire illegal immigrants.

Illegal immigrants already in the U.S. would have to acquire a "Z Visa" for legal residence.

They would also have to pay a $5,000 fine, and the head-of-household would have to return to their country of origin.

The plan provides credits for job training and English language learning, which would lead to a green card. Lawmakers say this process could take 8 to 13 years.

Also in the plan, the creation of a temporary guest worker program and a high-tech worker I.D. program.

"On paper things sound good, but to get them to work is something else," says Green Valley resident Don Krumwiede.

"I don't think it will work. I don't think you'll get them to come forward and pay a fine, a $5,000 fine. No," adds Lee Lundberg, also of Green Valley.

Frank Pickard of Tucson says, "I think it's going to be incredibly hard to implement. I really do. I think it requires an enormous amount of time on the part of the participant and a significant amount of money. It requires crossing borders, getting approval from different sources. I just think it's going to be difficult to implement."

Marilyn Johnson, also of Tucson says, "Wait 8 to 13 years? I can't imagine that people would do that. My impression is that people are coming to this country for jobs, so if they have to go back and then wait 8 to 13 years... If I were in their shoes, I would sneak right over the border again. Yeah, it doesn't make a lot of sense."

The consensus with everybody News 4 talked to is at least they're glad something is being done; that minds are sitting down together and talking about this issue and they say there's movement. Although, they do say, this solution is just not the answer. News 4 did talk to one person that seemed to think this plan is the best solution and that it will work. She and her family immigrated here to the United States from Malaysia 18 years ago.

"Yes, I like that," says Ming-Min Lee, a grad student at the University of Arizona. She is attending school here from Corvallis, Oregon. Does she think the proposal will work?

"I tell you what, I am a legal immigrant. My family, we're legal. We came in because we had skills and we did everything the legal way, so I don't see why other people can't."

No matter which side you're on, everyone agrees: "I think something has to be done," says Pickard.


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