It's good that 3 Arizona Republicans have introduced a guest-worker bill, say panel members at a Derechos Humanos forum. But it's not enough, they warn.

  LUKE TURF

  Common sentiment echoed at a meeting to discuss guest-worker programs was gratitude to the
  Arizona officials who've introduced the legislation, but a lack of a support for it.

  "There is no quick, easy fix," said U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva, an Arizona Democrat. "You cannot deal with
  immigration in isolation."

  In regard to the guest- worker proposal introduced by, among others, Grijalva's counterpart,
  Republican Jim Kolbe, Grijalva said he won't vote in favor of it unless issues including, but not limited
  to, border region economic development, environmental cleanups, worker protections and benefits,
  legalization of illegal immigrants, family reunification, dialogue with Mexico and a new border policy are
  incorporated.

  "If we don't do that we will be back here debating another form of legislation to deal with what we
  should've (dealt with) in the present," Grijalva said.

  He was one of four speakers on a panel sponsored by Derechos
  Humanos, a human rights advocacy group. Also on the panel before
  about 100 guests was Derechos co-chair and immigration attorney
  Isabel Garcia, Pima Community College's Business Department Director
  Ricardo Castro-Salazar, and chairman of the Pima Area Labor
  Federation AFL-CIO, Bobby Martinez.

  The panel's aim was to take a broader look at the idea of guest- worker programs, and not just
  Kolbe's proposal. But talk of Kolbe's initiative dominated the evening. Neither Kolbe nor his staff was
  present.

  Gratitude was expressed by panelists and the evening's moderator, Samaritan Patrol member the
  Rev. John Fife, toward Kolbe and U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., for introducing the bill along with
  U.S. Rep. Jeff Flake, another Arizona Republican. But the bill is lacking some of the fundamental
  requirements for addressing the border problem, panelists agreed.

  One of the more controversial issues surrounding Kolbe's proposal is the opportunity for those
  residing in the United States illegally to achieve legal status. Many, such as the Washington-based
  immigration watchdog group Project USA, see this as amnesty.

  "It's horrible," said Project USA Director Craig Nelsen, who didn't attend. "It's a massive amnesty for
  illegal aliens," he said in a phone interview Tuesday.

  Nelsen says such measures would only increase illegal immigration to the United States.

  Neither Kolbe nor Grijalva sees the measures, which include six years of waiting for undocumented
  migrants before legalization and fees, as amnesty.

  Worker protection was also a topic during the forum.

  Kolbe's press secretary, Neena Moorjani, said yesterday during a phone interview from Washington
  that workers would have the ability to use the same visa for multiple jobs, giving them freedom from
  bad employers. "In our bill you can leave whenever you want to," Moorjani said.

  With people from both sides of the immigration debate blasting Kolbe's bill for being too kind to people
  here illegally, or not kind enough, Moorjani said she sees it as right in the middle of a very heated
  debate. Another bill has been introduced by a senator from Texas. Moorjani said she sees it as a
  good thing.

  "We want as many bills out there as possible," she said.

  Though Grijalva said he doesn't see Kolbe's proposal as an end to border issues, including migrants'
  deaths while crossing, he does see the debate heading in the right direction, thanks in part to Kolbe's
  proposal.

  "If anything is good about this whole discussion it's that we're having it," Grijalva said. "The
  accusation is that all you ever do is sit around and say no. In terms of opposition, let's also put a
  great deal of energy into supporting something as an alternative," he said to applause.

  Grijalva said Kolbe's proposal would get congressional hearings that could spawn opportunities for
  amendment discussions, which could help with an alternative he hopes will be developed by a group of
  congressman, including the Hispanic Caucus.

  One of the issues Martinez brought before the panel is that the proposed legislation favors
  businesses over employees, something he said North America Free Trade Agree proponent Kolbe has
  done for some time.

  Some businesses, such as the hotel industry, which has high turnover and a need for lower-wage
  employees, support the bill.

  "It's certainly beneficial for us," said Westward Look Resort's public relations director, Donna Kreutz.
  "It's not as if they'd be taking away jobs from residents. A lot of these jobs go unfilled."