High Plains Report

BY ENRIQUE RANGEL
AVALANCHE-JOURNAL AUSTIN BUREAU

AUSTIN - He may live far away from the Mexican border, but state Rep. David Swinford knows firsthand how illegal immigration impacts a community and the entire state.

Thousands of illegal immigrants live in his district, especially in Cactus, where the biggest employer is Swift & Co., the meat packing plant raided by U.S. immigration authorities in December.

But the Dumas Republican has also been a legislator long enough (16 years) to know that immigration is a federal issue, even if he thinks Washington has done a lousy job protecting the southern U.S. border.

Ruth Campbell
Staff Writer
Midland Reporter-Telegram

What is IMAGE?

According to a news release, IMAGE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agreement between Government and Employers) is designed to build cooperative relationships between government and businesses to strengthen hiring practices and reduce the unlawful employment of illegal aliens.

By Enrique Rangel

AUSTIN - For a while, it looked like illegal immigration was going to be the most divisive issue of the 80^th Legislature and Rep. David Swinford, R-Dumas, would be right in the middle a bloody fight. After all, some of the more than two dozen bills filed so far include controversial measures, such as denying health care and public education to U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants.

But now, though it may still be a hot potato, it doesn't look like illegal immigration will be the divisive issue many lawmakers had feared, thanks to some preemptive action that Swinford and others have taken.