http://www.sbsun.com/ci_3637649

Boxer blasts migrant proposal

Wendy Leung, Staff Writer
San Bernardino County Sun

During a trip to the Inland Empire on Friday, Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., didn't hold back her opinion of Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., and an immigration bill he has introduced.
"It's anti-faith based,'' Boxer said. "It's inhumane. Sensenbrenner is inhumane.''

Speaking to reporters at The Sun, Boxer said the border desperately needs increased enforcement, but once somebody slips past, the issue is different. Help from the federal government for education, prisons and health care is then needed, she said.

Sensenbrenner's bill HR-4437 would call for employers to check documents submitted by new employees against a federal database to verify their authenticity and make it a crime for citizens to help undocumented immigrants.

Boxer said a jobs program needs to be created for illegal immigrants that would help them receive proper documentation. She said it is important to match undocumented workers with appropriate agricultural jobs.

"If they are clean and pay taxes, we need to get them on the path to legality," Boxer said.

The senator fell short of calling for amnesty for the 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States, but she said she did not support President Bush's guest-worker program.

"It's exploitation of the worst sort," she said.

The Senate Judiciary Committee has until Monday to draft a border-policy bill.