Thread: MN: Immigration proposals clash

http://www.startribune.com/587/story/1001997.html

Last update: February 14, 2007 – 11:34 PM

Immigration proposals clash
The governor and DFL lawmakers offered differing views on issues involving the state's immigrants.

By Jean Hopfensperger, Star Tribune


Competing immigration proposals emerged from the state Capitol Wednesday, with Gov. Tim Pawlenty calling for a crackdown on identity fraud and DFL lawmakers seeking to expand opportunities for immigrants.
Pawlenty sent a letter to House and Senate leaders, requesting that they expand penalties for the sale and manufacture of identity documents, a crime frequently associated with illegal immigration. He also called for the creation of a new five-year penalty for "document vendors," or anyone caught holding four or more identity documents.

"Illegal immigration and related crimes continue to pose a serious problem in Minnesota and around the nation," Pawlenty wrote.

Earlier Wednesday, DFL legislators announced they would introduce bills to give tax credits to low income immigrants who want to become citizens, allow in-state college tuition rates for children of some illegal immigrants, and ask Congress to reform the nation's immigration laws this year.

The Minnesota economy increasingly will depend on immigrant workers, DFL lawmakers said at a news conference, and the state should take an active role in helping them become citizens and develop their workforce skills.

"Often when we talk about immigrants, it's only about their costs," said Sen. Mee Moua, DFL-St. Paul. "But ... the growth of Minnesota is from the sweat and labor of immigrants."

Sen. Ann Rest, DFL-New Hope, predicted the tax credit and a proposed Commission on New Americans would have a good chance of passage this session. Likewise, a proposal to ask Congress to take action on immigration reform is not particularly controversial, she said, since politicians of both parties -- including President Bush -- have urged Congress to take action.

The most controversial proposal in the DFL package is the so-called Dream Act, which was passed by education committees in both houses last year but not the full House or Senate. The bill would allow children of illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition rates if they had graduated from a Minnesota high school and lived here three years.

Pawlenty said he didn't support the Dream Act and hoped that legislators would not pursue controversial proposals. He had, he noted, chosen not to resurrect his strict immigration proposals that failed last year.

"We have to focus on things that are doable this session," Pawlenty said. The House minority leader, Marty Seifert, R- Marshall, said he supported the tax credit to help new citizens, but called the resolution to Congress "a waste of time."I think the tax credits look good, but everything else is either unnecessary or dead on arrival, in terms of the GOP perspective," he said.

Rest said she saw room for common ground on immigration this session. For example, she said she would support tightening identity theft laws, as the governor has urged. But she asked the governor to support the tax credits to encourage citizenship -- a proposal he had recommended last year.

Maybe we could send all the illegals on up to Minnesota to live since they are so badly needed up there. Maybe the illegals could give those Muslim cabbies up there who are refusing to pick up people at the airport who have alcohol and pets even the blind seeing eye dogs, a little competition, since we all know from the number of DUI' with the illegals they would not be so picky about picking up fares with alcohol!