Related articles:

Ernesto Portillo Jr.: Immigration answers are all in the eyes of the beholders

Finance and Accounting
Charles E. Gillman Company
Accounting Specialist Sales and Marketing
Everready Glass
Sales Reps Mechanical
Komatsu Equipment Co
Resident Field Mechanic Administrative & Professional
Jorgensen Brooks Group
Counselor Administrative & Professional
Tucson Urban League
CEO/President Trades/Construction
RANCHO RESORT
MAINTANANCE POSITION

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration's plan to sharply raise fees to become a citizen, get a work permit or obtain other immigration services could hit a bump in the road.

Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., chairwoman of the House Judiciary immigration subcommittee, and other congressional Democrats are questioning the Citizenship and Immigration Service's bid to raise application fees by an average 66 percent starting as early as June.

Also, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and his allies said Wednesday the federal government should fund the delivery of immigration services rather than make applicants pay all the costs.

Unlike most federal agencies, Citizenship and Immigration Services is overwhelmingly funded by application fees. They account for 90 percent of its $2 billion budget this year.

Obama, a presidential contender, and other Democrats argued that Congress should provide the money for part of the agency's budget. Hiking fees could price citizenship well out of the reach of people obeying immigration laws, they said.

"We want to reward you for playing by the rules, not punish you with higher fees," Obama said at a Capitol news conference with leaders of several immigrant-rights groups.

Amplifying the Washington message, the National Association of Latino Elected Officials protested the fee increases at news conferences Wednesday in Houston and other cities.

The immigration agency wants a near-doubling of the citizenship fee, from $330 to $595, and a hike in the application for legal permanent residence, from $325 to $905.

The fee increases, estimated to raise $1 billion annually, would be used to hire and train more workers, upgrade computer systems and offices and cut processing times by 20 percent, agency Director Emilio Gonzalez said in January.

Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary immigration subcommittee, said the burden should not shift to the taxpayer.

"User fees are entirely appropriate," Cornyn said.

Find extensive coverage of immigration issues at azstarnet.com/border