Obama Documents Immigration Plan During Newton Visit
Some Iowans Unsure Of Plan

POSTED: 7:11 pm CDT June 18, 2007
UPDATED: 7:28 pm CDT June 18, 2007

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Democratic presidential candidate and Sen. Barak Obama spoke to a crowd Monday in Newton about his immigration plan.

Not everyone was thrilled with his plan.

He outlined three principals behind his immigration reform plan.

First, he said stronger border security, barriers, cameras and patrols are needed.

"You can't have hundreds of people pouring over our borders without us knowing who they are and why they're here," he said.

Second, he said he would eliminate the job incentive. He suggested a tamper-proof verification card that can be checked against a national database and punishing employers who hire illegal immigrants.

"Part of the reason that there's such a strong incentive is because we have no system of holding employers accountable for hiring undocumented workers," he said.

Third, he said that sending the 12 million undocumented workers already in the U.S. home is not an option.

"Many of them have children who are U.S. citizens, spouses who are here legally. We would have to donate all of our law enforcement resources -- all," he said.

Instead, Obama said he would like a temporary legal status and an application process for those illegal immigrants who are already here to become legal citizens.

After the speech, he left giving the Newton residents something to think about

Obama is making his last stop in Iowa this week. He will speak at Ottumwa High School on Monday night.
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