Critics Charge State Comptroller's Immigration Report Is Biased

Aug 31, 2007 08:35 PM CDT

State Rep. Debra Maggart

Sen. Bill Ketron

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Earlier this summer, the state comptroller of the treasury released a report about the impact of undocumented immigrants in Tennessee.

Supporters said the report was supposed to clear up any questions, but the document has instead stirred up controversy.

Several lawmakers are accusing the comptroller's office of skewing the facts and presenting a biased report to possibly shape future legislation.

Another critic Carol Swain, a law and political science professor at Vanderbilt, said the report, titled Immigration Issues in Tennessee, is biased. Swain, who has written a book about immigration, questions the staff's research findings.

"When I read this report, it was completely illogical," said State Rep. Debra Maggart, R-Hendersonville. "I want to know more background. Where did they get this data to come up with this because I thought this very much soft pedaled the problem we have here in Tennessee with illegal immigration."

Undocumented immigrants have actually boosted the state's economy, according to the report. Another key finding was that they were neither taking jobs away from Tennessee workers nor taking advantage of public health programs. The report indicated the undocumented immigrants were ineligible to receive Medicare, TennCare, and food stamps.

Maggart said that's misleading, especially if the illegal immigrant has a child in this country.

"You know these children are being born here, they can get all of these things because they are citizens, therefore the parents become beneficiaries of these items that they are not allowed to have," Maggart said.

"That helps with the idea, come over here and have a child, it's free," she said.

Senator Bill Ketron also questions one of the report's key findings.

"But if you go down to our health department, or any health department, and you look at the people, like in Rutherford County, you see those folks are all illegal," said Ketron, a Republican who represents Murfreesboro.

The back of the report also claims it's nonpartisan and objective, a claim Ketron questions.

"All his analysts were given a direction of which way to go, and how to give the report," Ketron said.

But why would a report like this be skewed?

"The current administration has taken this past year and tried to defeat any bills we have regarding illegal immigration," Ketron said.

Is this being used as political ammunition in the future?

"I am concerned that will be used as a document to downplay any future legislation going forward that the General Assembly tries to pass about illegal immigration," Maggart said.

This immigration issue is far from being over. Ketron plans to introduce several new immigration bills when lawmakers return in January.

Both Ketron and Maggart would like the comptroller's office to do more research on the immigration issue.

No one was available for comment at the state Comptroller of the Treasury office. Gov. Phil Bredesen's office chose not to comment.

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