Casey urged to back immigration reform
By JULIE SHAW
Philadelphia Daily News

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Immigration-reform advocates yesterday urged U.S. Sen. Bob Casey to take a stance on comprehensive immigration reform, saying that Pennsylvania's other senator, Arlen Specter, has expressed interest in tackling the controversial issue this year.

In an April 15 letter to President Obama, Specter, a Democrat, said that he has long supported comprehensive immigration reform and said that the time for reform is now.

The advocates, in a news conference call, denounced a bill signed into law Friday by Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer that directs state and local police to question people about their immigration status if there is reason to suspect that they are in the United States illegally.

Martine Apodaca, national communications director for the Reform Immigration for America coalition, said: "I think that Arizona is a dramatic example of the federal government's failure to lead on immigration."

He and others, including Philadelphia Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez, applauded Specter's letter and wondered where his Democratic colleague Casey stands on reform legislation.

Larry Smar, a spokesman for Casey, said in an e-mail response that "Casey has voted in the past to move legislation forward to deal with the problem of illegal immigration through comprehensive reform. He does not believe the status quo is acceptable. . . . However, there are a number of issues that the Senate must deal with this year. . . . It is unclear whether immigration reform legislation will be put forward and considered this year."

Democratic U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak, who is challenging Specter in the Democratic primary next month, said in an e-mailed statement yesterday that he believes it's time to take up immigration. He said that any policy "must start with securing our borders," and then offering illegal immigrants now in the country a way to gain citizenship if they pay a fine and taxes, and wait in line.

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., are working on an immigration bill that would win bipartisan support. It would combine increased border security with a path to citizenship for the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the country.

But Graham said at a Tuesday hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee that it appears a reform bill must wait until 2012 to gain enough public and political support to pass, the Arizona Republic reported yesterday.

Apodaca said that a "leaders and losers" list showing where senators stand on the reform issue will be posted at www.reformimmigrationfor america.org.

The list is expected to be posted tomorrow, a day before thousands of people are to rally for immigration reform on May Day, the international day of celebration for workers.

At noon Saturday, pro-immigrant advocates will join a May Day labor rally led by PhilaPOSH and the Pennsylvania Labor History Society at Elmwood Park, 71st Street and Buist Avenue, Southwest Philadelphia.

The Friends of Elmwood Park will also have a groundbreaking ceremony there for a new labor monument.

http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_up ... eform.html


Both Dem candidates, Specter and Sestak are amnesty lovers, they need to lose in the elections!