Immigration reform needs to pass this year, House majority leader Steny Hoyer says

TUCSON—If immigration reform doesn’t pass in Congress and be signed by the president this year, it’s dead for next year, too, one of America’s most powerful Democrats said Tuesday.

And House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland said the border must be secured first before other immigration reforms can work.

Hoyer faced reporters at a gathering of area Democrats arranged by Democrat U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of the 8th Congressional District.

Questioned, Giffords said she still hasn’t decided her stance about a proposed permanent Border Patrol checkpoint on Interstate 19 south of Green Valley.

But she’ll be at a third meeting in Green Valley Monday night to further discuss the issue.

As the Tucson temperature danced near 100, Hoyer arrived in a shirt and tie, sans jacket.

Talking to reporters, Hoyer was almost drowned out by more than 100 chitchatting guests at the event.

He told reporters he has been on the U.S.-Mexico border once before.

He recalled visiting some official border crossings there, “and some that weren’t supposed to be there.”

There are several “Texas gates,” or unofficial border crossings, in Southern Arizona where traffic sometimes goes both ways.

Hoyer said he was on a border tour about six years ago arranged by Gifford’s predecessor, Republican Rep. Jim Kolbe.

He praised the Senate’s compromise announced last week.

Hoyer’s first name, Steny, is a variant of Steen, his father’s name. The Hoyers are of Danish extraction.

As for immigration reform, a smiling Giffords gave a kind of a civics lesson to reporters, “We (both houses) will have to pass bills and then we’ll get together to work out the final bill.”

The House bill is expected to make it more difficult for immigrants to legally come to the United States.

Guests occasionally interrupted the representatives’ press briefing to shake hands or chat briefly as TV cameras were trained on the speakers.

Each representative wore small TV mikes, and pen and pencil reporters were frequently jostled.

“We’ve been talking about this issue (immigration reform) for a long time without getting anywhere,” Hoyer said.

President Bush praised the Senate compromise last week, and said he’s anxious to sign an immigration package “as soon as I possibly can.”

Hoyer also said he expects the American public to begin telling President Bush that it’s time for a new direction on Iraq.

He said Iraq should take more responsibility for its own security and neighboring states should take part in stabilizing the country.

The Senate immigration compromise would secure the border, have a guest worker program and give some recognition to many of the illegal immigrants already here.

Employers who had knowingly hired illegal immigrants would face penalties.

jlamb@gvnews.com | 547-9749