Local immigration patrols, enforcement are up
By ERIN GILLESPIE
egillespie@news-press.com
Originally posted on December 25, 2007


WHERE CANDIDATES STAND
DEMOCRATS
• Hillary Rodham Clinton voted for the 2006 comprehensive immigration reform and border security bills. In addition, she cosponsored a bill to lift the waiting period of five years for federal health care benefits for legal immigrants and supports the DREAM Act, which would allow illegal students to pay in-state tuition and give them a path to citizenship.

• Barack Obama voted for the 2006 bills. He also cosponsored the DREAM Act of 2007 and sponsored the Citizenship Promotion Act, which is in committee and would allocate millions of dollars to help legal immigrants become citizens.

• John Edwards cosponsored the 2003 version of the DREAM Act and cosponsored the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2001 to tighten border security to combating terrorism.

Other Democratic candidates:
• Bill Richardson is for comprehensive reform but also has worked as governor of New Mexico to secure the border.

• Joseph Biden Jr., voted for comprehensive reform.

• Dennis Kucinich voted against the Secure Fence Act of 2006.

• Chris Dodd voted for comprehensive reform and the DREAM Act.

REPBUBLICANS
• Rudy Guiliani’s plan would deport criminal illegal immigrants and “Americanizeâ€