Corzine forms panel on immigrant issues
Friday, August 3, 2007

By ELIZABETH LLORENTE
STAFF WRITER


Governor Corzine is creating a panel to advise him on how New Jersey can help integrate immigrants into society and prepare the undocumented for a path to legalization.

The panel is expected to examine immigrant access to health care, education, job training, social services, English classes and civics lessons, among other things, said Corzine administration officials.

The group, whose members are still being selected, is to issue a report and recommendations after 18 months, officials said.

Corzine's move, they said, stems from a view that states must deal with illegal immigration after several failed congressional efforts to reform immigration policy.

"Given the absence of action on the federal level, the governor feels he needs to confront the realities on the ground," said Brendan Gilfillan, a Corzine spokesman. "There's a community that is an untapped resource, making valuable contributions to our economy. We want to make sure that as a state we do everything we can to bring economic vitality and self-sufficiency to this community."

Gilfillan said the governor hopes to identify voids in immigrant access to state services and programs. He also said that if Congress eventually does pass legislation that provides illegal immigrants with a path to legalization, the governor wanted New Jersey's undocumented to be prepared.

"We want to make sure we're doing all we can to help these folks prepare themselves for citizenship," Gilfillan said, "so that when the feds get their act together, our community will be the first in line and be ready to go."

The official said the panel also will study matters pertaining to legal immigrants in New Jersey.

Immigration advocates lauded the creation of the panel but said it should be a first step toward a state effort to address issues affecting the undocumented.

"What I don't want is a panel that will produce a report and not do anything more," said Daniel Santo-Pietro, executive director of the Hispanic Directors Association of New Jersey. "The state needs to take steps that fill gaps and that will make things better for immigrants."

But those who favor strict immigration enforcement denounced some of the objectives tied to the panel.

"By doing what he says he wants to do with the panel, not only is the governor saying he supports illegal immigration," said Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello, an outspoken critic of illegal immigration, "but he'd also be encouraging more and more illegal immigrants to come New Jersey, because it would be known as a state that provides services and jobs to them."

Gilfillan declined to comment specifically on Cresitello's criticism, adding only: "One of the reasons the governor created this panel was to cut through too often ignorant, divisive and downright malicious rhetoric surrounding this issue."

E-mail: llorente@northjersey.com

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