RELATED STORIES

• Operation nets 10 arrests in Santa Fe
• Reform bill has hurdles for gaining legal status
• Santa Fe resident Lupita Hernandez is seeking legal U.S. residency

More Local

• ABQTrib.com to remain available
• Former Marine to serve two years in jail for killing Albuquerque robber
• Wilson-Pearce battle for U.S. Senate exemplifies party's disparity

MOST RECENT TRIB STORIES

• ABQTrib.com to remain available
  08:48 a.m., February 25, 2008
• Congressman is indicted
  08:37 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Series of attacks target Green Zone
  08:36 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Iran is defying U.N., agency says
  08:35 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Waterboarding approval probed
  08:34 a.m., February 23, 2008

TRIB IN THE BLOGOSPHERE*

• Ty Murray Invitational thrills fans in Albuquerque
• Is Rome Burning?
• Ominous Skies
• The Road to Invalidation
• Albuquerque company participates in “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”

*Note: The Tribune does not create and is not responsible for the blogosphere's headlines and stories. These links to blogs talking about ABQTrib.com are automatically generated. Use them at your own risk.

STORY TOOLS

• E-mail story
• Comments
• iPod friendly
• Printer friendly

SHARE THIS STORY [?]

SANTA FE — ov. Bill Richardson says Congress should work to keep families together as it considers immigration reform.

That's why, in part, he opposes the massive Senate bill lawmakers are set to continue debating in Washington next week.

"It separates families," Richardson said. "It gives priorities to job skills rather than family unification."

Richardson also said immigrants such as the woman featured in Friday's Tribune - Lupita Hernandez - should be given a way to earn legal status.

"Ms. Hernandez, and many others like her in similar situations, should be given a path to earned legalization, not amnesty. She appears to be someone who has worked hard and overcome personal hardship, and her children are U.S. citizens. Nothing would be gained by her deportation."

Hernandez moved to Santa Fe 11 years ago on a tourist visa. She later applied for residency under a law that protects abused women, but her petition was recently denied.

The governor, whose mother and sister live in Mexico, is the only Hispanic candidate in the presidential race. He said there should be a "tough but fair" system to qualify for legal status, including learning English, passing a background check, and paying fines and back taxes.

Richardson said he also doesn't like the current bill because it contains a provision for about 370 miles of border fence between the United States and Mexico.

"I read the provision that said they are going to increase the number of Border Patrol guards, in fact, more than double it, which I deeply applaud," said Richardson, who in 2005 declared a state of emergency along the New Mexico-Mexico border.

"But then I read that they added more money for the fence, and I'm against the fence. I've always been against it; I didn't realize the fence construction is in there. I think that's a terrible symbol."

The governor also said the bill doesn't have labor protections for guest workers, and it doesn't provide them a path to legalization.

"Those individuals don't have a chance to try to become legal," he said.