Illegal Immigration Enforcement Bill Sparks Debate
By: Stacy Lilienthal for KAAL TV, March 4, 2008

(KAAL) - An immigration bill debated in the legislature is drawing a lot of attention.

House Minority Leader Marty Seifert wants the state to punish cities that don't check immigration status by taking away state funding.

That could have some costly consequences.

"That�s like punishing the Minnesota government because the federal government spent too much on the war in Iraq,� says Freeborn County Sheriff Mark Harig.

It's affecting us in Austin, Albert Lea, and just about every town that I know of in Minnesota,� says Paul Westrum with the Coalition for Immigration Reduction.

Westrum is the founder of 32 area coalitions for immigration reduction organizations.

He and members of his group have been to the state and federal capitols pushing for bills to stop illegal immigration.

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