Immigration bill in Congress sparks new debate in R.I.

01:00 AM EST on Wednesday, December 23, 2009

By Karen Lee Ziner

Journal Staff Writer

Illinois Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez tapped into deep-seated frustrations in Rhode Island and across the country when he introduced comprehensive federal immigration-reform legislation last week. No matter the fate of his bill, Gutierrez has garnered praise from immigrant advocates nationwide for bringing the issue back to the table in this congressional session.

Gutierrez, a Democratic member of the House Judiciary Committee and chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Task Force on Immigration, has 92 co-sponsors for House bill H.R. 4321 (Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America’s Security and Prosperity Act of 2009).

The 700-page bill calls for legalizing qualified undocumented immigrants, keeping “mixed-statusâ€