Pearce says amnesty not an answer

Immigration reform was the hot topic at Friday’s town hall meeting with U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce in Portales.

About 40 area residents, many representing the Somos Un Pueblo Unido immigrant group, gathered at the Yam Theater as Pearce answered questions from his constituents.

While several concerned citizens posed questions about the Affordable Care Act and the economy, the conversation kept returning to legal and illegal immigrants living in eastern New Mexico.

CMI staff photo: Christina Calloway
Republican U.S. Congressman Steve Pearce, right, listens to a local farmer’s concerns about immigration reform.

“Legal immigration is a very necessary process,” said Pearce, a Republican who represents District 2, when questioned by a mother of two who said her husband works for a local dairy and her children live in fear because she is an illegal immigrant. “Legal immigration is very important.”

Pearce held firm to his stance that the path forward on reform is not necessarily granting citizenship or amnesty to illegal immigrants currently living in the U.S., but through guest worker permits that allow those from other countries to live and work in the U.S., but not gain citizenship.

“The citizenship line should begin in your country,” he said. “It’s a basic question of fairness to me. What is fair about those people who waited 18 years to come here legally?”

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