12/12/2005


Schultheis: Immigration Forum Disappointing

State Rep. Dave Schultheis, R-Colorado Springs, reacted Monday to a forum cosponsored by the National Conference of State Legislatures and the Colorado General Assembly on illegal immigration:


"Today, the Democratic leadership of the Colorado General Assembly is cosponsoring a forum on illegal immigration with the National Conference of State Legislatures. This forum, supposedly a bipartisan effort, is nothing more than a biased and delayed attempt on the part of the Democrats to appear to address the very real issue of illegal immigration.

"The NCSL, along with Democratic House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, has touted the upcoming forum as a bipartisan event. Yet, somehow they neglected to include any Colorado Republicans in the planning of the event and did not even invite any Colorado Republicans until the issue was raised by House Republican Leader Joe Stengel.

"This one-sided forum is scheduled to include the Democratic House Speaker, the Democratic Senate President and speakers that reflect the liberal immigration politics of the Democratic majority here in Colorado. In fact, only two speakers, out of a list of a dozen, appear to represent the conservative ideals in this debate. Arizona state Rep. Russell Pearce, will likely be the only speaker to call for the necessary action to address this growing problem. As the sponsor of Arizona's Proposition 200, limiting state services to legal residents, I hope he can help drive positive reform here in Colorado.

"I am disappointed that NCSL and the Democratic Leadership in our state could not live up to their rhetoric by organizing a truly bipartisan and balanced debate including more speakers like Rep. Pearce to address an issue that so seriously affects Colorado. We must begin to take decisive action in the Legislature to make Colorado a place where it is difficult to live illegally and work in an underground economy at the expense of Colorado taxpayers.

"We must ask ourselves how to fix the problem of illegal immigration, not, as Speaker Romanoff has asked before, how to adapt to the problem. Only a few months ago, he was quoted asking whether Colorado should consider changing state law so that illegal immigrants would be treated the same as legal immigrants. Romanoff said: 'Should we treat all immigrants the same or should we treat those who are here illegally differently? These are questions we all must consider.'

"It's time for our lawmakers to step up and listen to the citizens of Colorado, and to respect the rights and the taxpayer dollars of our citizens. As Abraham Lincoln said, 'You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.' I challenge the Democrats in the Colorado Legislature to stop avoiding the real illegal immigration issues and start addressing the problem in a serious and nonpartisan manner. That is what the people of Colorado want and deserve."

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