By Allison Sherry
The Denver Post
Posted: 08/26/2013 07:06:58 PM MDT5 comments
Updated: 08/26/2013 07:30:14 PM MDT

FORT MORGAN — Deep in Colorado's agricultural heart, Republican Rep. Cory Gardner and Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet agreed Monday that immigration reform needs to be addressed now.

But the two were deeply divided in a series of town halls on how to get that accomplished.

"I don't know how you can be a capitalist and not support this bill," Bennet told local leaders gathered at Morgan Community College here as he asked for advice on how to get the Senate-passed immigration bill through the U.S. House of Representatives.

David Foy, a Washington County commissioner, raised his hand.

"What seems to be one of the deals ... against it is carte blanche amnesty," he said.

Sixty miles down the road in Gardner's home town of Yuma, he faced a handful of people brought into the country illegally by their parents, including Jose Munoz, a 25-year-old employee at Super 8 in Brush, who pressed him on his stance on immigration reform.

Gardner said he used to support a bigger, more comprehensive approach, but said he now thinks smaller, bite-size bills on border security, and a guest worker program, are better because that's the only way the GOP-controlled U.S. House of Representatives will pass reform.

He declined to say whether he supported a path to citizenship for any of the 11 million people who entered the country illegally — including DREAMers like Munoz — saying he wanted to see certified border security first.

"The most important thing is to start with border security and border enforcement and then we can address the 11 million people who are here right now," he said.

The Senate immigration bill would help rural Colorado because it creates a new temporary worker program and, for the first time, helps the dairy industry because the program applies year-round and not just for seasonal, summer labor.

Munoz, who graduated from an eastern plains high school in 2006, said he wants to finish college. He took some classes at Northeastern Junior College, but said because he doesn't have a Social Security number he can't get financial aid and it became too expensive.

"He talks around the whole point," Munoz said. "He doesn't say he supports it or doesn't support it."

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingne...gration-reform