Thread: NC: Immigration bill out of touch with voters

http://www.wilsondaily.com/Wil_region/L ... 867186.php

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Immigration bill out of touch with voters

El Pueblo may be praising the latest legislative attempt to reform immigration laws, but it flies in the face of what North Carolinians want.

El Pueblo, a Latino advocacy organization, praised the latest bill filed by Reps Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., and Jeff Flake, R-Ariz. The two congressmen introduced a bill this week that would offer temporary legal status to millions of illegal immigrants, but would require them to leave the country before they could be eligible for permanent residency and U.S. citizenship.

The bill says illegal immigrants who were in the country now could be eligible to work legally here for up to six years if they paid back taxes and fines, learned English and passed criminal background checks.

Illegal immigrants would also be required to leave the U.S., most likely for Mexico or Canada, and register back in the United States through a port of entry if they wanted a green card.

The bill would also require the Department of Homeland Security to certify that certain steps have been taken to secure U.S. borders before the guest worker and legalization programs go into effect, including an increase in border enforcement personnel and substantial progress on the wall along the U.S./Mexican border.

There are about 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States and nearly half-a-million in North Carolina.

In a press release praising the bill, the Latino group described current immigration policy as "unregulated, chaotic, and abusive." The organization said immigration reform should include principles of "providing a path to earned citizenship, protecting immigrant and American workers alike, reuniting families, respecting due process, and helping newcomers become new Americans while helping the communities in which they settle."

But an Elon University poll shows North Carolinians don't approve of proposals that would allow undocumented immigrants to stay in the U.S. as long as they have a job.

The poll released at the end of 2006, finds that 63 percent of North Carolinians disagree with such proposals The poll found that 56 percent of citizens said the immigration of Hispanics or Latinos to North Carolina in recent years has been bad for the state, up from 44 percent in an April 2006 Elon Poll. Fifty-three percent agreed with the statement "immigrants today are a burden on the state because they take jobs, housing and health care," down from 57 percent in April.

Eighteen percent said immigration has been good for the state, compared with 26 percent in April.

But an Elon University poll shows North Carolinians don't approve of proposals that would allow undocumented immigrants to stay in the U.S. as long as they have a job.

The people do get it! Or everybody polled lives next to W and April!!!

Originally Posted by olivermyboy

But an Elon University poll shows North Carolinians don't approve of proposals that would allow undocumented immigrants to stay in the U.S. as long as they have a job.

The people do get it! Or everybody polled lives next to W and April!!!

I think if they polled the right people it would be even higher!!