A shift in the debate over illegals

[Thom Little]

The battle over illegal immigration, often seen as a Republican cause celebre, will get a decidedly liberal slant next year in Colorado.

Former Colorado Gov. Dick Lamm will lead a long-talked-about statewide charge to ask voters to restrict state and local government services to citizens and legal immigrants. Illegals would be denied everything except those services mandated by federal law, such as K-12 education, and those "directly related to public safety or life-threatening emergencies." Arizona passed a similar law last year.

As one of the state's most recognizable Democrats, Lamm plans to make the "liberal case" for controlling illegal immigration. That includes showing the massive environmental damage caused by population growth and how open borders endanger many of the social programs embraced by liberals.

Ultimately it will be a bipartisan effort, but "those of us who will initiate the process will be all Democrats," he says.




http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_3237245