Rowdy Colorado Immigration Forum Highlights Touchy Issue

[Brian503a]

http://www.theepochtimes.com/tools/printer.asp?id=33822

Rowdy Colorado Immigration Forum Highlights Touchy Issue
By Cary Dunst
Epoch Times Denver Staff


Every year, 3 million illegal immigrants sneak into the U.S., tripling the number of legal entrants and $300 billion in US income tax revenues are lost via “under-the-table� wages paid to illegal workers.

These statistics along with others were prominently displayed at a University of Denver forum hosted by the Colorado Alliance for Immigration Reform, a group seeking a hard line solution to the nation’s weak immigration policy.

It has been widely recognized that the current US immigration policy is flawed, and how to fix the status quo is boiling into one of the most pressing issues facing the national agenda. Hard liners demand immediate deportations, moderates are proposing “guest-worker� programs and liberals want to expand social services and sanctuaries available to illegal immigrants.

Crossing More than Borders

No longer a border state issue, President Bush recently sent top aides to Congress to gain support for his guest-worker program that would legitimize the vast numbers of illegal immigrants working in the US. Notable Senators John McCain and Ed Kennedy have introduced a similar program aimed at recovering lost tax revenues, granting some degree of amnesty and offering an approach that can be implemented for the conundrum of millions of illegal immigrants living and working in this country.

Supporters of guest worker programs reason that illegal immigrants are taking jobs that Americans won’t do and are supplying businesses with hard-working cheap labor that fuels the economy. The plan also acknowledges the predicament of illegal immigrants who work tirelessly, yet could be legally deported at any time.

Opposition to guest-worker plans feel that President Bush has betrayed the ideals of the GOP. They view illegal immigrants as driving down wages, taking jobs from working-class citizens and generally disregarding the rule of law. They also view illegal immigrants as a major drain on government provided social services such as healthcare and education. They argue that legitimizing illegal aliens only further exacerbates the problem and encourages the dangerous industry of trafficking illegal immigrants into the country.

There are some commonalities amongst the differing views such as the need to tighten the southern border where millions of people have gained unauthorized access to the country, with some dying of dehydration in the heat of the Arizona desert.

Suggestions for Solutions

Suggestions for improving the situation include utilizing the most advanced military technologies to monitor the border and simply building a wall across the border’s entire length. Even hard-line reformers concede that it would be impossible to deport all illegal immigrants at once, though they do seek a program of attrition.

Hard liners are also calling to re-interpret the 14th Amendment to repeal “Anchor Babies�; the granting of citizenship to the newborns of illegal immigrants.

Political Debates

Congressman Tom Tancredo has been thrust into the national spotlight as the outspoken leader of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucaus, seeking to immediately secure the porous southern border and return those without legal status to their countries of origin. Tancredo was the main draw at the free University of Denver forum that exemplified the controversial nature of the immigration issue.

Numerous speakers from all walks of life argued from the viewpoint that current immigration policies are creating a social epidemic in America, while protestors waved banners calling for immigrant rights outside the forum and heckled slogans and retorts from the rear of the hall.

The audience response to the speakers was similar to a cross-town rival football contest. Every speaker was cheered with standing ovations and waves of American flags by two-thirds of the audience, while the other third booed and chided “Fascist� and “clap if you want to live in a police state!� Suggesting a historical irony, a Native American man was booing and pointing to his T-shirt with the words “Homeland Security� depicting an image of Native American Chiefs.

The speakers ranged from population experts and other academics to those in the trenches such as a retired school teacher, police officer and a inter-city Hispanic social worker. Every speaker supported their tough stance on immigration with financial numbers, population figures and personal experiences.

When Congressman Tancredo rose to the podium, the tension in the room grew thicker with everyone on the edge of their seats. He spoke confidently without notes, and opened with a light ice-breaker illustrating how immigration has grown from a border-state concern when he first came to Congress seven years ago, to a ubiquitously discussed national issue alarming people from all backgrounds and party affiliations. He even thanked those attending who were in disagreement to his immigration stance, explaining that it is a controversial issue that deserves to be recognized, discussed and debated.

Tancredo sought commonality with his protesters in that everyone can be proud of our country’s democratic process in addressing problems and implementing solutions. He concluded that those who seek the benefits of living and working in the US should also respect its laws concerning immigration, and expect to assimilate to the language, customs and culture of the US.

As he finished by stating “God Bless America� and sprang from the podium waving to the audience, the room erupted with another two-thirds of cheer and a third of exuberant scathing boos.

[had_enuf]

Opposition to guest-worker plans feel that President Bush has betrayed the ideals of the GOP. They view illegal immigrants as driving down wages, taking jobs from working-class citizens and generally disregarding the rule of law. They also view illegal immigrants as a major drain on government provided social services such as healthcare and education. They argue that legitimizing illegal aliens only further exacerbates the problem and encourages the dangerous industry of trafficking illegal immigrants into the country.

advanced military technologies to monitor the border and simply building a wall across the border’s entire length

Hard liners are also calling to re-interpret the 14th Amendment to repeal “Anchor Babies�; the granting of citizenship to the newborns of illegal immigrants

.

He concluded that those who seek the benefits of living and working in the US should also respect its laws concerning immigration, and expect to assimilate to the language, customs and culture of the US.

God Bless America

All of the above have my blessings.

[Judy]

It is an issue bursting at the seams. And Guess What? Colorado is a perfect example of the financial crisis of illegal immigration. Governor Owens was on the news whining about how broke they are statewide. He's got some Money Raising Program he's touting. I saw it on the news. If anyone has read an article about it, it would be good to post it and SHOW AMERICANS what happens when you sell out your STATE as a Sanctuary for Illegal Immigration.



Lesson: ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION DOES NOT PAY, NO WAY!!

[rakishoner]

http://www.defeatc.com/

http://www.voteyesonc-d.com/

http://www.taxincrease.org/

http://www.ucdadvocate.com/media/pap...cdadvocate.com

http://www.citizentelegram.com/home....e&article=1527

http://rockymountainnews.com/drmn/op...163131,00.html

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_3143377

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_3133266

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_3133068

http://www.northfortynews.com/News/2...CDoverview.htm

And much much more...