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Proponents of immigration reform that would provide undocumented immigrants with a path to citizenship believe they will be able to convince Congress to make the issue a priority this year.

A rally has been planned for tonight in Aurora where advocates will state their case, and a town hall meeting with U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., has been organized for Wednesday in Denver where proponents will state, “Friends keep promises: the time is now (for reform).”

Supporters of the reform movement are pointing out that lawmakers have said that they will take up the issue. But debate by Congress has been delayed by two wars, historic health care reform and controversial energy issues, to name a few.

Advocates hope the rallies — which are part of a national effort — will show lawmakers that their constituents are looking for reform to be a priority. They hope immigration reform legislation introduced by Congressman Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., will make its way through Congress with little delay. Supporters are also emboldened by indications from President Obama that he would like both his administration and Congress to make the issue a priority.

Julie Gonzales, spokeswoman for the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, said she does not accept the excuse that Congress is too preoccupied with other priorities to tackle immigration.

“We really think that Congress should be able to walk and chew gum at the same time,” said Gonzales. “We know that there’s a lot of issues that are really facing this nation. But comprehensive immigration reform is going to help lift wages, it’s going to help bring people out of the shadows so that they can no longer be used to undercut wages, and this is going to help make sure that our country is secure and that we have all of the safety and securities that this nation really needs.”

Advocates point to a report released last week by the Washington, D.C.-based Center for American Progress, which stated that providing immigrants with a path to citizenship would result in the nation’s Gross Domestic Product increasing by $1.5 trillion over 10 years.

Former Congressman Tom Tancredo, however, doesn’t buy the argument. The outspoken critic of immigration reform says now is the perfect time for opponents to fight such reform because Americans are in the midst of an economic downturn that he believes would be made worse by such reform.

“If there are people in this country illegally employed in jobs that would otherwise go to people who are legally in the country, then I think that’s an excellent debate topic,” said Tancredo, who added that Americans looking at an unemployment rate of 10 percent will relate to the topic.

He added that he would like to see the debate extended to legal immigration as well, arguing that there should be a moratorium on legal immigration until the economy gets better and there is a need for employees from outside the country.

The Jefferson County Republican acknowledges that his grandparents immigrated from Italy, but said there was a need for that then. He added that immigrants at that time were interested in truly becoming Americans — culture and all — which he believes is not happening with today’s immigrants.

“There were … people coming with the desire to actually become Americans. That’s not happening now,” he said. “There are far too many people who are coming here with a desire to retain all of the cultural, linguistic and political ties that they had with other countries … and that is a big problem.”

Gutierrez’s proposal would legalize an estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants by requiring them to learn English, pay a $500 fine, pass background checks and register with the federal government, to name the main points of the proposal.

A similar proposal was pushed in 2007 by U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., which was supported by President George W. Bush. It sought tougher border controls and a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants. Obama supported the legislation, but Bush’s fellow Republicans in Congress killed the proposal.

Gonzales, however, believes the political atmosphere has shifted and that proponents will have better success this year, especially with the economic downturn.

“Every single day that we go without comprehensive immigration reform is a day that we lose our opportunity to see the economic benefits and the economic return that legalization would have on our communities,” she said. 

Immigration reform prayer rally

WHEN: Tonight, 6:30 p.m.

WHERE: St. Therese Catholic Church, 1243 Kingston St., Aurora

Immigration reform town hall

WHEN: Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.

WHERE: Manual High School, 1700 E. 28th Ave., Denver

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