Coalition pushes for legal restraints on illegal immigrants
http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/local ... eid=100203
Coalition pushes for legal restraints on illegal immigrants
By Emelie Rutherford / Daily News Staff
Wednesday, June 1, 2005
BOSTON -- A group trying to curtail illegal immigration descended on the State House yesterday with the support of two local lawmakers to outline what bills its supports and opposes, including a measure to make some illegal immigrants eligible for in-state tuition.
"You can call this our coming-out party," said Bob Casimiro of Weymouth, executive director of the Massachusetts Coalition for Immigration Reform, before a press conference.
"People primarily ... are so frustrated with the lack of attention of the federal government on this issue" of illegal immigration, he said to a small group of reporters and supporters.
Yet he said the "tide is changing" in the country. He pointed to the recent passage of the federal Real ID Act, which in the coming years will call for people to have federally approved ID cards, and moves by New Hampshire police chiefs to arrest illegal immigrants for trespassing.
Aides for state Reps. Marie Parente, D-Milford, and Susan Pope, R-Wayland, spoke at the gathering as well.
Framingham's Ned Price, a member of Coalition for Immigration Reform, said he is focusing on a bill that recently passed a legislative committee to allow illegal immigrants' children who meet specific criteria to qualify for reduced in-state tuition rates at state colleges.
"This tuition bill will come up (in the House) and the more people who know about it the better," said Price, a Framingham Town Meeting member, before the event yesterday. "We're trying to get a healthy 'no' vote."
Price said his goal is to convince just over one-third of lawmakers in either the House or Senate to vote against the bill. Gov. Mitt Romney is expected to veto the measure and two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override his veto to make it law.
Casimiro said his group is keeping its eye on other Massachusetts legislation it supports, including measures to strengthen a law banning illegal immigrants from living in subsidized housing and to make driver's licenses expire when their visas expire.
Additional state legislation the group supports deals with immigrants' identification, such as one bill that would prohibit using foreign-issued identification cards to open bank accounts at state-chartered banks.
The group also backs a bill filed by Pope to require proof of citizenship when registering to vote. Pope's aide, Erin Blake, said the bill is a "great priority" for the Wayland Republican.
In an interview after the event, Parente spoke in favor of the bills the coalition supports.
"There are certain benefits that accrue to American citizens," Parente said.
"It is not enough to be raised like an American in America. ...Illegal entry is a crime."
Casimiro said the coalition was formed in 1998, but initially was focused on distributing information over the Internet about federal legislation related to immigration.
Members started coming to the State House two years ago to speak against an unsuccessful bill to grant illegal immigrants driver's licenses, he said. A similar bill has been filed this session but has not been debated by a legislative committee yet.
Casimiro said yesterday's event was organized with the help of state Sen. Robert Hedlund, R-Weymouth.
illegal immig wants legal curtails
Boston! Finally they are catching on! :)
