http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgaz ... 900207.htm

By Sylvia A. Smith
Washington editor
Rep. Mark Souder, R-3rd, refined his position on immigration after hearing an earful from constituents during the May primary campaign.

“You’re a leader and a listener” as a member of Congress, he said then. “The simple thing is the American people don’t believe we have a plan to seal the border. I agree with them.”

Souder said immigration is a complicated subject but that nothing can be done about letting illegal immigrants obtain work permits or citizenship until the border is sealed.

“Some people say that anything is amnesty if you try to deal with the people that are here,” he said. “I believe you’re going to have to deal with the people that are here. … But, at this point, we can’t even have that discussion” because the border isn’t secure, he said in May.

During a debate with Democrat Tom Hayhurst last week, Souder said anyone who entered the U.S. illegally and got fake identification would never be eligible for citizenship.

“You can’t get in if you’ve broken American laws,” he said.

Hayhurst said immigrants already in the U.S. illegally should be able to apply to become citizens if they pay for the cost of the process, learn English and study civics.

“If you want to do that, OK, you can apply. If you don’t, leave,” he said.

Hayhurst said he does not support amnesty, which he defined as an illegal immigrant being able to sign a document and automatically become a citizen. He said his prescription is not amnesty because he would require the people who are in the U.S. illegally to go through the citizenship process.

Hayhurst also supports tightened security at borders and ports as well as increased immigration quotas.

sylviasmith@jg.net