Kirk must explain how he would fix immigration
November 4, 2010

The burden to govern is now on our newly elected senator from Illinois, Republican Mark Kirk, and he can start by telling us exactly where he stands on the critical issue of immigration.

It is not enough for Kirk to continue his campaign mantra -- "secure our borders first." Most sensible Americans understand that. He needs to sign on to a detailed policy.

In doing so, it is critical that Kirk categorically reject the bigotry and hypocrisy that so often have held this issue hostage.

And the federal government and President Obama must act on comprehensive immigration reform to prevent more states from enacting ill-conceived measures such as the Arizona law SB1077, which allows the police to act as immigration agents.

My advice to Kirk is that he listen to people like Detty Samayoa, who on Tuesday rushed home to Melrose Park from downtown Chicago to vote. Samayoa did vote -- and not a straight party ticket.

Samayoa is a mother of four, works full time and still finds a way to pursue a graduate degree. She was born in Guatemala and became a U.S. citizen six years ago. She is proud of having voted in every election since.

"I vote knowing that many immigrants who work hard do not have a voice," she told me.

Like most residents of Illinois, Samayoa favors a more moderate approach to solving the problem of illegal immigration.

According to a recent poll, almost 75 percent of Illinoisans support granting legal status to undocumented immigrants if they meet certain conditions, such as being employed, paying a fine and learning English.

Samayoa also supports the Dream Act, which would provide legal status to the children of undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. illegally if they attend two years of college or join the military. Although Kirk has rejected the Dream Act, Samayoa hopes her new senator will focus on a reasonable approach to immigration and not only on enforcement.

The Obama administration is on track to deport more illegal immigrants -- many of them convicted criminals -- than any previous government. But deporting 12 million people who live here illegally, most of them hard workers who pay taxes, is a whole different matter. Enforcement alone and shutting down the border with Mexico are not real solutions.

He must explain how he proposes to deal with the millions here illegally. He also should spell out how the U.S. should handle its need for labor to do jobs many Americans would not take even during a recession.

Latino and pro-immigrant organizations had hoped the Latino vote would benefit Alexi Giannoulias, who favors an overhaul of the immigration system that would allow millions of undocumented immigrants to obtain legal status.

Kirk, in contrast, has not been so forthcoming. He did not even respond to requests from constituents in his own district for a meeting to discuss his stand on immigration. His solution to the problem simply might be to crack down on undocumented immigrants, though he never bluntly said so during the campaign -- perhaps for fear of alienating the Latino vote.

"Securing our borders first" might be nothing more than code for enforcement alone.

It's time for Kirk to tell the people of Illinois just how he would fix our nation's broken immigration system.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/escalon...lona04.article