MINNESOTA'S GROWING PAIN?

The selection of Worthington as the site of a forum last month on
illegal immigration was more than happenstance.

"Worthington is ground zero in this debate," said U.S. Rep. Gil
Gutknecht, who represents Pipestone County in Minnesota's First
Congressional District.

Indeed, said Gutknecht, Worthington has more legal and illegal
immigrants proportionately than any other city or town in his district.

Persons from other countries were lured to Worthington and other
Minnesota cities in the hope of obtaining higher-paying jobs than
they could find in their own countries, Gutknecht said.

"What we've seen, though, in the last 15 years is a new phenomenon
where we have literally millions of people who have come across our
borders illegally, and it's having a number of consequences that we
need to at least discuss," he said.

Today, nearly a third of Worthington's residents are immigrants. And,
there is a "pernicious" underground, said Gutknecht, which shouldn't
be there at all.

Therein lies the problem in the view of Gutknecht and U.S. Rep. Steve
King. Both men are involved in a federal effort to crack down on
illegal aliens.

King said the United States should do away with birthright
legislation that has been in place for more than a century. Gutknecht
also voiced support for such a movement.

King and Gutknecht, both Republicans, also agreed that the first step
in curbing illegal immigration is to increase border security.
Gutknecht said border security is not only a matter of economics but
a serious issue of national security.

Gutknecht said the illegal immigrant underground is a hotbed of
illegal activity.

Gutknecht said Worthington police set up a recent sting that
uncovered a house which served as a clearinghouse of sorts where
illegal immigrants could obtain falsified papers. In return, they
were compelled to deliver illegal drugs.

Gutknecht said much too often, illegal immigrants become the
unwitting pawn in a game between the countrymen who preceded them
here and the American justice system.

"They (illegal immigrants) also become second-class citizens," said
Gutknecht. "They know they can't go to the police, they know they
can't go to OSHA. They're living outside of the law and so they're
exploited by some of the people who hire them, and they're exploited
by some of the people in the community.

"Once you become illegal, you can be exploited by all sorts of
people."U.S. Reps. Gil Gutknecht of Minnesota and Steve King of Iowa
both called Thursday for changing a law that grants automatic
American citizenship to children born in the United States to illegal
immigrants.

According to a report issued by Gov. Tim Pawlenty in December,
illegal immigrants cost the state up to $185 million in unncessary
state charges. Last week, he proposed several reforms to help stem a
growing tide of illegal immigrants into Minnesota.

The report sparked angy rebuttals among immigrants who claimed the
report was misleading and inaccurate. Pawlenty also drew criticism
from Democratic opponents who viewed his proposals as a classic
example of election year politicking to fire up the Republican party.

Gutknecht said the criticism was unwarranted.

"The real issue is about legal vs. illegal immigration," said
Gutknecht. "It's a multidimensional issue. I think some people want
to make it into a racial issue, and I don't think that's fair."