July 5, 2007

There will be some sweet and sour thanks for Nevada's U.S. senators today, depending on where they stood on the heated issue of immigration reform.

Public News Service: Ireri Rivas with the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada says a proposed immigration reform bill wasn't perfect, but it would have prevented exploitation of immigrants in the Silver State.

There will be some sweet and sour thanks for Nevada's U.S. senators today, depending on where they stood on the heated issue of immigration reform. Ireri Rivas with the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada says members of the faith community and immigrant families will gather at the federal building in Reno to say the proposed immigration reform bill wasn't perfect, but it would have prevented exploitation of immigrants in the Silver State.

“And then we're going to take a thank you basket full of fruit, nice luscious fruit to Sen. Reid to thank him for all his hard work; and we're going to take a basket full of lemons to Sen. Ensign to demonstrate that he soured the debate.”

Rivas says her biggest fear is that state agencies and even local police departments may feel like they need to start getting tough on immigrant communities, because the federal government dropped the ball.

Carina Black with the Nevada Immigrant Coalition believes students will feel the most fallout from the failure to pass immigration reform. Black says many Hispanic students are facing a diploma with a dead end.

“At the end of their studies, they are not able to give back to the economy that ultimately supported them because they are not able to work legally.”

Because so much of Nevada's economy depends on immigrant labor, Black adds that businesses will also suffer in the long run, because Congress left many workers with no way to get legal.

Find original story here.