Bill would change immigration policy

DeKALB - A bill proposed in December could criminalize charity workers and others who help undocumented immigrants. HR 4437 is a bill proposed by U.S. Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., that is meant the help strengthen the border. But opponents, including the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights said it is mean-spirited. The bill is being reviewed by the U.S. Senate. The bill declares that immigrants illegally in the United States are felons. It previously was a non-criminal matter. Felons are barred from later becoming citizens. The legislation authorizes police to enforce immigration laws and would abolish visa programs, which helped bring in non-sponsored immigrants into the U.S. It calls for funding of a 700-mile security fence along the U.S.-Mexico border, which supporters said is needed. Supporters, such as Sensenbrenner, say the legislation is necessary to curb illegal immigration. But Kristin Kumpf, a suburban organizer with the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, said more distributing is the broadness of the bill. She said the bill is taking vague language about alien smuggling to broadly apply to those who previously are not breaking the law. &#8220This is very punitive,” Kumpf said. &#8220It will punish anyone who is undocumented and anyone that will help. It will criminalize anyone, such as a local priest, doctors and social workers ... That's where the outcry came from.” The Chicago-based organization is one of the promoters of the March 10 march that brought out thousands to the city to protest the bill. The bill is sitting in committee in the Senate. Senators John McCain, R-Ariz., Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. and Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Chicago, are working on their own bill that would provide a temporary work visa program and make it easier for undocumented workers to apply for legal status.