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Mayor's stand on immigration

Economy of NYC, U.S. would fall without illegal immigrants, Bloomberg tells congressional panel

BY TOM BRUNE | Newsday Washington Bureau

July 6, 2006

PHILADELPHIA - New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg yesterday took aim at hard-line GOP members of the U.S. House, saying their belief that border patrols alone can stop undocumented immigrants "is either naive and shortsighted, or cynical and duplicitous."

Bloomberg also attacked the House hardliners for insisting on the expulsion of undocumented immigrants for breaking the immigration law, and for failing to understand just how important the estimated 11 million undocumented workers are to the well-being of this country.

"Although they broke the law by illegally crossing our borders," Bloomberg said, "our city's economy would be a shell of itself had they not, and it would collapse if they were deported. The same holds true for the nation."

Testifying as the lead witness in a Senate hearing at the National Constitution Center here, Bloomberg also promised war over the House immigration reform bill and riders on appropriations bills that threaten to cut security funds to New York City.

"I promise you will have one heck of a battle on your hands," Bloomberg said, if Congress passes measures that reduce funds to cities and states that ban employees from turning in undocumented immigrants.

"We're not going to let Congress cut-and-run from New York City - nor can our nation afford to do it," he said.

Bloomberg led off witnesses called by Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) at a hearing to promote the Senate's comprehensive immigration bill.

The Senate legislation includes a crackdown on undocumented immigrants but also creates a guest-worker program and a way to earn citizenship.

Specter's session was a counterattack to a rival House hearing held on the other side of the country to boost the House bill, which only beefs up border control and enforcement.

At a Border Patrol station in San Diego, a House subcommittee focused on the potential for terrorists to enter through Mexico. Chairman Ed Royce (R-Calif.) said, "Immigration reform must be national security reform."

But on Independence Mall, the senators didn't have to look to San Diego for both sides: They heard a tale of two cities from two Republican mayors.

Bloomberg brought the world-view of a city of 8.1 million residents, many of them immigrants, legal and illegal.

He spoke of the importance of immigrants to the city's vitality, and even urged the senators to expand the number of visas for temporary workers to fill jobs requiring both "elbow grease" and "intellectual capital."

Hazleton, Pa., Mayor Louis Barletta brought a small-town view to the table. His city of 31,000 residents wants a crackdown on undocumented immigrants.

"Illegal immigration is a drain on Hazleton's resources," Barletta said, citing a murder, shootings and drug trafficking by people here illegally.

So last month, he said, his city council passed its own law to punish local companies that hire undocumented workers by denying them permits; fine local landlords $1,000 for each illegal-immigrant tenant; and making English the official city language.

"Illegal immigrants are not welcome here," Barletta said.

That reflects the struggle among Republicans over immigration. Views similar to Barletta's are not new to Bloomberg - he has heard from Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford), an outspoken opponents of the Senate bill.

"Pete King and I are good friends and I see a lot of him," Bloomberg said, "and we certainly disagree on this."

Meanwhile, in Washington, work continues on a compromise to put border control first and only later provide guest worker status and citizenship.

After the hearing, Specter called on President George W. Bush to "provide the leadership to bring the House and Senate together."

Bush, meanwhile, yesterday repeated his position - "I'm strongly for a comprehensive immigration policy."