Gutknecht, colleague weigh in on immigration

12/30/2005

Congressmen back changes at forum

Associated Press

WORTHINGTON, Minn. — U.S. Reps. Gil Gutknecht of Minnesota and Steve King of Iowa both called Thursday for changing a law that grants automatic American citizenship to children born in the United States to illegal immigrants.

Flanked by Worthington Mayor Alan Oberloh and state Sen. Jim Vickerman, DFL-Tracy, King said the United States should do away with birthright legislation that has been in place for more than a century. Gutknecht also voiced support for such a movement.

King and Gutknecht, both Republicans, also agreed that the first step in curbing illegal immigration is to increase border security. Gutknecht said border security is not only a matter of economics but a serious issue of national security.

“We have to stop the bleeding,” Gutknecht said. “If you think we’ve got the magic answer, we don’t.”

The Daily Globe of Worthington reported that the congressmen spoke at a listening session that marked the third time in recent weeks that this southwestern Minnesota community has hosted political leaders seeking information on the impact of illegal immigration. Almost a third of Worthington’s residents are immigrants.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty attended a meeting with local officials here late last month and is preparing to push state lawmakers to crack down on illegal immigrants.

Nearly 30 people, including local law enforcement officials and business and community leaders, attended Thursday’s meeting. It was intended to give King, a member of a House subcommittee on immigration and border security, specific examples of an “underground” of second-class residents that’s developing because of federal laws that critics say do nothing to stem the tide of illegal aliens.

“We want to find a way that people can work and be who they are — and not live underground,” Oberloh said.
Displaying a plastic bag filled with seized driver’s licenses and Social Security cards, Worthington police Sgt. Kevin Flynn described the difficulties law enforcement officers face when illegal immigrants use false identities.

“What we have the hardest time dealing with is not knowing who, across the table, we are dealing with,” Flynn said. He said those who possess false documents are less likely to fear involvement in criminal activity.

Flynn said he has seen a boom in document vendors who supply illegal immigrants with everything from birth certificates to Social Security cards.

A Worthington woman was caught selling birth certificates and Social Security cards for $1,200 to $1,500 out of her home, and even offered clothing and furniture to her customers to help them get their start in America, he said.

Mike Cumiskey, the city’s director of public safety, said he’d be in favor of developing “some kind of worker program” to give illegal aliens documents so they wouldn’t fear deportation or fall victim to scams and extortion.
The local Swift & Co. meatpacking plant “does need the 90 percent of people who aren’t causing trouble,” Cumiskey added. “We just want to see change. We want to see people be able to work here.”

Mariano Espinoza, of the Minneapolis-based Minnesota Immigrant Freedom Network, said he, too, wants to see illegal immigrants able to stay and work in this country.

“We have millions of people here working,” he said, adding that employers need workers, but there aren’t enough legal ways to bring them in.

“When are we going to have a guest worker program?” Espinoza asked. “When are we going to have a way for people to become legal?”