Elected Officials from Western States and Counties Urge Senate Enactment of Comprehensive Immigration Reform (5/17/06)
Elected Officials from Western States and Counties Urge FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contacts: DENVER -- Western governors, legislators and county commissioners representing diverse constituencies from the Great Plains to the Pacific Ocean have joined forces in support of comprehensive immigration reform. The Western Governors' Association, Council of State Governments WEST, and NACo Western Interstate Region have sent a joint letter to U.S. Senate leaders saying their efforts to reach agreement have made enactment of a comprehensive immigration reform and border security legislative package a real possibility. They congratulated Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid for their leadership. The text of the letter sent to the leaders today follows: On behalf of elected officials across the West, we applaud your recent agreement to bring immigration legislation before the Senate again. Further, we are encouraged that your negotiations included an agreement on a conference committee process. Your efforts have made enactment of a comprehensive immigration reform and border security legislative package a real possibility. As elected officials addressing the impacts of immigration at the local and state level we agree that any legislation must be comprehensive. Through our own processes, our colleagues have joined to support key principles that we believe should be part of any federal initiative. These principles include, but are not limited to, increased border security and enforcement provisions; dedicated funding to state and local governments to offset costs associated with illegal immigration; enactment of a guest worker program; and reforming foreign worker visa procedures to reduce the delay of legal immigration processes. We uphold these common principles despite our region's political or geographic diversity. Please rest assured that we appreciate the complexity and controversy associated with the immigration issue. However, it is our opinion that legislation must link the labor and marketplace demands, societal concerns, and the need to protect and enhance national security. We stand ready to assist you in your efforts to move forward on a comprehensive legislative package and look forward to working with you on this important issue. Thank you for your leadership. # # # # #
Senate Enactment of Comprehensive Immigration Reform
May 17, 2006
Amelia Jenkins, WGA, 303-623-9378,
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
James Philipps, NACo Western Interstate Region, 202-942-4200,
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.