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Bill cutting access to services for illegal immigrants stumbles
Feb. 4, 2006

By Steve Walsh / Post-Tribune staff writer

INDIANAPOLIS — The national debate over illegal immigration appeared over two days in the General Assembly.

As they reached the halfway point of the session Thursday night, members of the House overwhelmingly rejected a bill by Rep. Turner, R-Marion, that would have cut access to state services by illegal immigrants.

A handful of lawmakers indicated before the vote that they were divided, when a bipartisan group of lawmakers took to the podium to speak against the bill.

In a rare moment when floor debate appeared to sway the vote, detractors raised questions of whether state police would be required to ask American Latinos for identification. They asked whether children of illegal aliens would be denied access to child protective services.

“These people cannot be protected against abusers or molesters?â€