http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_4142411

denver & the west
Briefs, 8/6


DenverPost.com


New U.S. attorney for Colo. will focus on immigration

Denver - Troy Eid is looking ahead to his job as the government's top prosecutor in Colorado, pointing to immigration enforcement as his highest priority.

"I respect what immigrants bring to the country so much," said Eid after being confirmed by the Senate late last week. "We just have to enforce the law. It's a really tough issue."

Eid, 42, is a former legal counsel to Gov. Bill Owens and a lawyer specializing in cases involving environmental issues and Indian affairs. He awaits his formal commissioning by President Bush.

Recent debate over immigration has been "very positive" - leading to a new awareness among employers, local authorities and state officials, Eid said. "People are realizing we all have a role to play in it. It's not just one or two government agencies."

Eid brings an intimate knowledge of immigration issues. His father, the late Edward Eid, moved to the United States from Cairo in 1957. He grew up in Wheat Ridge, attended Stanford University and earned his law degree from the University of Chicago in 1991.

His wife, Allison Eid, became a Colorado Supreme Court justice in February. They have two children.