PUBLISHED ON Wednesday, September 24, 2008 AT 03:30PM

Immigration issue heats up Hispanic chamber forum
By Tim Kelly
Yakima Herald-Republic



The issue of immigration made things a little hot Wednesday for the two non-Hispanic candidates at a forum sponsored by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Yakima.

State Rep. Charles Ross, R-Naches, was drawn into an exchange about whether undocumented immigrants and their children should receive public benefits, particularly whether high school graduates from such families should be eligible for college financial aid from the state.

Although Ross said he supports reform of immigration laws to make it easier for immigrants to obtain citizenship, he said his first duty as a state legislator is to “make sure that people who are in this country legally are taken care of.â€