January 30, 2006
Omaha World-Herald
Cindy Gonzalez

LINCOLN -- About 75 people, from immigrant moms to established businessmen, were urged Wednesday to form a unified front in the battle to change U.S. immigration laws.

"Immigration is an issue that has come to every town in America," said Ed Leahy, head of the Nebraska and Iowa Immigrant Rights Network. "What we want is action now -- action that is fair and generous."

Leahy's coalition favors legal changes that would include a pathway for illegal immigrants to gain U.S. citizenship if they pay taxes, have no criminal records and are learning English.

His remarks came at a "community training" session on immigration reform that was coordinated by the Nebraska Appleseed Center and supported by 33 advocacy agencies from across Nebraska and Iowa.

Leahy said such training enables participants to deliver a clearer message on a complex issue that now hits closer to home, as both Nebraska U.S. senators are proposing immigration legislation.

Wednesday's all-day event also included a rally outside the Denney Federal Building and a forum during which participants asked questions of staff members from the offices of Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., and Rep. Tom Osborne, R-Neb.

Darcy Tromanhauser of Appleseed said similar events are being held nationwide to bring new, "mainstream" voices into the discussion over changing the federal immigration system.

Nancy Livingston of the Omaha YWCA and Susan Hale of Lincoln's Center for People in Need were among those who hadn't previously attended a meeting of the immigrant rights network.

Both women said their clients increasingly include undocumented immigrants, and they wanted to become better versed on laws affecting them.

"Today is serving as an impetus for me to start speaking out as an individual," Hale said.

Few sparks emerged from the question-and-answer session with the congressional staff members. Perhaps the loudest applause came when a Colombian immigrant spelled out problems she's encountered obtaining legal residency status, even though her mother is a naturalized U.S. citizen.

W. Don Nelson, of Sen. Nelson's office, said many contrasting opinions have stalled efforts in Washington to adopt comprehensive immigration reform. He was skeptical that would change soon.

Livingston asked why the Nebraska politicians couldn't strip away some of the bureaucracy that she said muddied immigrants' lives.

"For God's sake," said Livingston, "get something moved forward."