Published: 05.18.2007

Immigration deal "treasonous," says Mesa's Pearce

BLAKE MORLOCK
Tucson Citizen

U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., will face a bunch of angry conservatives for his role in helping to craft a compromise on immigration, said a leading Arizona voice critical of immigration.
Kyl worked with Massachusetts Democrat Ted Kennedy and other key senators to reach the agreement that would allow for a temporary guest-worker program and grant provisional legalization after a brief screening.
The plan also would beef up border protection with 18,000 new Border Patrol agents and a border fence.
State Rep. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, said the Senate immigration agreement Kyl helped broker is "horrible" and "treasonous."
Pearce has been behind a series of ballot measures overwhelmingly approved by voters that restrict the state government from issuing benefits to people who can't prove they are in the country legally.
"The public has spoken loud and clear on this issue," Pearce said. "It is absolutely outrageous and treasonous. When are they going to get the message in Washington?"
He vowed to campaign to defeat any elected official in Arizona who supports the deal.
"Call it what you want. It's amnesty," Pearce said. "Kyl is headed down a road that is going to a road that it's going to do real damage to himself and to the party."



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