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Coalition seeks stiffer laws on immigration
BY JENNIFER EDWARDS | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER
MONROE - Saying Congress isn't tough enough on illegal immigration, a coalition of unions, a Republican county commissioner and others is calling on House Majority Leader John Boehner to support a four-point policy that would include building a fence along the Mexican border.

"We believe that this issue is one of the most important issues facing our nation," said Mark Galea, chairman of the new "Fix It Now" committee. "It is outrageous that Congress has pushed it to the back burner and neglected their duty to protect America from the harm that it is enduring because of an immigration system that is broken."

The Fix It Now committee says members include Galea, area director of organizing for the Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters in Monroe; Butler County Commissioner Mike Fox; the Cincinnati Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice; several other unions; and a few construction businesses.

They gathered Thursday at a carpenters' training center in Monroe to announce what they described as a statewide effort to push again for tougher immigration laws and more border control.

So far, their efforts have included sending letters to Boehner; U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Westwood; and U.S. Sens. George Voinovich and Mike DeWine.

The Fix It Now group also will try to gather 100,000 signatures on a petition for Congress. They want Congress to:

Enact a law requiring a fence, wall, or other barriers be built on the northern and southern borders.

Require the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States to register and file applications for residency. Those with felony convictions wouldn't be able to get residency.

Establish a "guest worker opportunity" program that would allow people with clean criminal records to seek jobs under a set of terms and conditions.

Strengthen the enforcement of immigration laws, including increased agency capacity and increased prosecution of employers who hire illegal workers.

The committee contends that Boehner and others are failing to listen to their hometown constituents on the immigration issue

"They are more interested in protecting their political careers than protecting America," said Fox.

Boehner, a longtime West Chester resident and former township trustee, and Chabot denied the accusations Thursday.

"What we want to accomplish, and what we believe the American people want, is a bill that seals our borders and addresses the growing problem of illegal immigration by enforcing our laws," Boehner said in a statement.

The House, they noted, passed an immigration bill in December that calls for tougher border security and penalties for employers who use illegal workers. But that version differed considerably from a more recent Senate bill that called for a worker program for illegal immigrants already here.

After weeks of debate amid immigration rallies nationwide, the House and Senate failed to reach a compromise, effectively killing any major change in U.S. immigration law at least until November's elections.

" "If you are serious (about immigration reform), get security at the borders first," Chabot said in a phone interview from Washington. "Once that has been accomplished, we can determine what the national consensus is with what happens with the people that are here illegally."

E-mail jedwards@enquirer.com.