GOP lawmakers denounced a Democrat plan for state-sponsored recruitment of migrant workers from Mexico, saying it risks making Colorado an immigration magnet -- and even a sanctuary for illegal aliens. Republicans say the proposal is another attempt by Democrats to backslide from recent legislative efforts to curb the flow of illegal immigrants to the state.

The new plan, being proposed by Sen. Abel Tapia, D-Pueblo, requires the Colorado Department of Agriculture and Colorado Department of Labor and Employment to cooperate with the Mexican government to grant work visas and provide housing for immigrants working on farms, construction sites and oil-fields.  The pilot program would also have Colorado establish a million-dollar employment office in Mexico and would require the state and employers to provide housing to migrant workers.

"Creating a magnet for immigration is not the way to alleviate the current labor shortage,” said Republican Sen. Greg Brophy, a farmer from the Eastern Plains. “This is sending the wrong message. We need to be more creative than just opening up a state-sponsored employment office in Juarez. That's throwing in the towel and saying, 'Come on in.'”

Tapia says that agricultural workers are in short supply in the wake of tough immigration laws passed last year by the General Assembly, but opponents say the plan waters down already modest reforms passed by the legislature last year.  They say there are many other options that should be explored.

Sen. Ted Harvey, R-Highlands Ranch, said the proposed bill also second-guesses federal law.   The H-2A temporary work visa currently requires employers to provide housing for migrant workers.  Farmers are allotted an unlimited amount of H-2A visas.

“It’s completely inappropriate to subsidize something the federal government already regulates,” Harvey said.  “It’s especially offensive since it would be at the expense of Colorado’s taxpayers.”

Senate GOP leadership echoed those sentiments, stating such a law would waste

Colorado’s tax dollars, encroach on federal law, and effectively invite more illegal immigration.  Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany, R-Colorado Springs, said the pending bill is fundamentally flawed.

“I’m not sure what they (Democrats) hope to accomplish that could be remotely good for our state in the long run,” McElhany said.  "The voting public has routinely voiced their opposition to the onslaught of illegal immigration that a proposal like this seems to ignore.”

Other lawmakers agreed.

“This is just one more attempt by the Democrats to find a loophole to undermine immigration reforms we passed last year in special session – and let’s not forget that those reforms were modest at best,” Sen. Dave Schultheis, R-Colorado Springs, said.  “What galls me most is that the Democrats are flouting the overwhelming will of the people of Colorado with these repeated attempts to encourage illegal immigration.”