Illegal immigration foes seek state help

RALEIGH, N.C., June 23 (UPI) -- Supporters of tighter immigration laws say they're working on state and local levels since they disagree with the top U.S. presidential candidates' positions.

The coalition has pushed for new state and local laws, helping spark the introduction of hundreds of bills nationwide in recent months. It also has sponsored conferences, and lobbied and promoted election of congressional candidates who are immigration hard-liners, the Los Angeles Times reported.

"We're doing everything we can to dig in, in the states and in Congress," William Gheen, president of Americans for Legal Immigration, a political action committee based in Raleigh, N.C., told the Times.

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain of Arizona, although speaking tougher recently, has supported enforcing existing laws and proposals that would provide a path to U.S. citizenship for illegal immigrants. His Democratic counterpart, Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, also favors a mix of enforcement and legalization.

"That's the reality we're dealing with: a choice we don't consider a choice," said Roy Beck, executive director of NumbersUSA, which advocates stricter controls on legal and illegal immigration. "They're the worst, the bottom of the barrel, that ended up winning."