With a new state law on illegal immi- gration looming, pan- elists weigh its effects.

With less than two months until Oklahoma's new immigration law takes effect, four panelists tried to answer questions Monday night about the past and future of illegal immigration in the United States.

House Bill 1804 is set to take effect Nov. 1. Among other things, it will end most public assistance for illegal immigrants, authorize state and local law enforcement officials to enforce federal immigration law, penalize employers for knowingly hiring illegal immigrants, and penalize anyone who knowingly transports or harbors illegal immigrants.

About 100 people attended Monday's panel discussion, titled "Is America Still a Melting Pot?" Held at All Souls Unitarian Church, it was sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Metropolitan Tulsa, the Oklahoma Conference for Community and Justice, and the Tulsa Metropolitan Ministry.

As an attorney who specializes in immigration law and a recently naturalized U.S. citizen from England, panelist Campbell Cooke said he is neither for nor against HB 1804. However, he understands how it affects others, he said.

"I have employers coming to me saying they can't find workers because we have a labor force fleeing Oklahoma and moving to New Mexico, Missouri or Canada," Cooke said.

"We have an ever-diminishing pool of talented workers, so companies will either close or move offshore."

Panelist Elizabeth McCormick, a University of Tulsa associate professor of law, said that although much of the illegal immigration is being attributed to Hispanic people, history shows that this was not always the case in the United States.

Italian, French and Chinese immigrants are among those targeted in the past, she said.

"I'm not in favor of illegal immigration, and I think we need a solution," McCormick said. "It's about recognizing that this is a problem that will not go away if we don't change and don't address it."

Panelist Maria Palacios, vice chairwoman of the Tulsa Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said it is difficult to speak out on the issue. She said that although she supports secure borders and wants fair immigration reform, it is sometimes difficult to see and hear the comments some Tulsans have aimed at Hispanics in the wake of HB 1804's passage.

"I have been living here for 27 years, and I have never felt as such a foreigner and such an alien as I do today," said Palacios, who originally is from Venezuela. "It is sickening to read their comments that our little Tulsa, beautiful Tulsa, is becoming a Nazi Germany. That's what I call it."

Another panelist, Rep. Jeannie McDaniel, D-Tulsa, said the solution will come not from HB 1804 but from everyone contributing ideas toward the common goal of easing legal immigration and safe border control.

McDaniel said she voted for an earlier version of HB 1804 because it focused on employers but later voted against the revised bill, which she said focuses on people who cannot defend themselves.

"I think my grandchildren deserve to live in a world without hate," she said. "I oppose House Bill 1804 because I think we can do better, and with your help I know we can do better."

Althea Peterson 581-8361
althea.peterson@tulsaworld.com