Concerns aired over immigration bill
By Sanjay Bhatt
Monday, March 26, 2007


Local immigrant-rights leaders gathered today in City Hall to oppose several provisions in a U.S. House bill aimed at reforming the nation's immigration system.

Coming a year after a tough-nosed bill that raised the specter of mass deportations of illegal immigrants, the current House immigration bill introduced last week by Reps. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., and Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., is more balanced but still troubles immigrant-rights advocates.

The Security Through Regularized Immigration and a Vibrant Economy Act, or STRIVE Act, would provide a pathway to citizenship for an estimated 12 million undocumented residents and their families and more than double the number of employment-based visas. The act also advances two key priorities of President Bush: A guest-worker program and stepped-up surveillance, detention and deportation of undocumented immigrants.

"Overall, this bill is a step in the right direction," said Pramila Jayapal, executive director of Hate Free Zone, a Seattle-based advocacy group that organized a news conference today.

"However, the bill still needs much improvement," she said in a statement. "We are particularly concerned that the bill includes disproportionate punishments for minor offenses, expands deportation without a hearing and encourages local law-enforcement agencies to enforce immigration law."

Sanjay Bhatt: 206-464-3103 or sbhatt@seattletimes.com


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