ST. PAUL -- Debate over federal immigration policies has struck a chord from the halls of Congress to the southern-border states, with talk of reform sparking protests and a planned boycott nationwide.
State lawmakers say illegal immigration plagues Minnesota, but the Legislature doesn't appear poised to pass new immigration laws this session.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty in January proposed a host of reforms he wanted lawmakers to approve in 2006, an election year, designed to crack down on illegal immigrants and promote legal immigration.
The Republican governor wants to create a new immigration enforcement police squad, toughen penalties for the use of fake identification cards and establish a task force on human trafficking, among other initiatives.
Pawlenty's plan has support in the House, but with less than one month remaining in the legislative session the proposal's passage is uncertain even in that Republican-controlled chamber.
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"His package is at risk," Rep. Steve Smith, R-Mound, said of the governor's plan.
As chairman of the House Public Safety Policy and Budget Committee, Smith sponsored Pawlenty's plan, but now doesn't expect the bill to get a floor vote. Smith said this week that he is switching gears and wants to determine which, if any, of the proposals the House and DFL-led Senate can agree on.
Sen. Jane Ranum, who oversees the Senate's public safety budget committee, said she's open to discussions but is not sure the two sides will agree on much. There could be room for compromise on a human trafficking task force, she said. The Minneapolis DFLer went on to say it might not be "critical" to pass other immigration policy changes this year.
"It's a real concern," Pawlenty said Tuesday of the possibility that little of his proposal will be approved this year.
When Senate Republicans reviewed the DFL majority's budget plan earlier this week, they didn't see any of the governor's immigration proposals that require funding, Sen. Carrie Ruud said. The Legislature approved a two-year, $31 billion budget in 2005 and might make some changes to it this year.
Ruud, R-Breezy Point, is coauthor of a Senate bill containing Pawlenty's immigration plan and admitted its fate doesn't look good this session.
"We know that this is a non-budget year, but we need to start getting a handle on it," Ruud said of illegal immigration.
House committees supported Pawlenty's plan to create a 10-member immigration police enforcement team. The Senate wants to use that money to beef up the state's Gang Strike Force. Ranum said that makes sense because there is a link between gang and drug activity and illegal immigration.
