Richardson Opposes Immigration Bill

Presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani speaks in New York, Monday, May 21, 2007. Giuliani was there to receive the endorsement of local New York politicians for his 2008 presidential run. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) (Seth Wenig - AP)

SANTA FE, N.M. -- New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, the only Hispanic in the Democratic presidential race, has changed his view of immigration legislation, saying Friday he opposes it unless significant changes are made.

The governor said earlier this week that he had misgivings about certain provisions in the bill, but told The Associated Press that he would vote for it if he were in Congress and would try to improve it.

Richardson said he changed his mind after reading the entire legislation.

"I read that they added more funding for the fence. I am against the fence. I've always been against it. I didn't realize the fence construction was in there," Richardson said at a news conference. "It's a terrible symbol."

The Senate bill provided for 370 miles of fencing along the U.S. border with Mexico.

Richardson said he backed another border security provision in the bill that would increase the number of Border Patrol agents.

Richardson said he also opposed the bill because it "separates families."

"In other words, it gives priority to job skills rather than family unification. Historically, our immigration policies have emphasized family unification and this bill doesn't," he said.

The legislation would give a priority to allocating some work visas to future immigrants with job skills or educational backgrounds that are in demand _ a shift away from a traditional consideration of whether an immigrant has family living in the United States.

Richardson said immigrants who came temporarily to the U.S. under a proposed guest worker program would not have adequate labor protections, and he objected that there was no guarantee they could eventually gain citizenship.

The governor backs a core provision of the legislation that provides a path to citizenship for the millions of illegal immigrants who already live in the country.

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