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The Republican governor's checklist includes tax credits for would-be U.S. citizens, financial training, English language instruction and immunizations. He also wants to help more foreign investors, doctors, high-tech specialists and scientists come to Minnesota.
Pawlenty has been focusing on problems associated with illegal immigrants since early December, including costs borne by taxpayers and crimes such as drug smuggling, document fraud and human trafficking. On Thursday, he said the nation's immigration laws don't work and the solution is both to get tough and to encourage legal immigration in ways that help the economy.
``There isn't just one fix to this,'' said Pawlenty, flanked by representatives of immigrant groups at a Capitol news conference. ``It's not just about cracking down on illegal immigration.''
Pawlenty also said he supports some kind of guest worker program to allow foreigners to live and work legally in the United States for a period of time, then return to their home country.
Several Latino leaders said afterward that they welcome the governor's focus on immigration.
``The laws have to catch up to what's so much a part of our society,'' said Jesse Bethke Gomez, president of St. Paul-based Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio. ``This has elevated discussion about the policies.''
Rick Aguilar, who runs an event production company and sits on the Metropolitan Council, said illegal immigration has become a stigma associated with the Latino community. Other immigrant groups including Hmong and Somalis came to Minnesota legally as refugees, while growth in the Latino community has occurred in part because of illegal immigration, he said.
``We have to get rid of that stigma,'' said Aguilar, a Republican. ``I just think it starts the dialogue. We're looking for the Latino community in Minnesota to be proactive.''
Pawlenty unveiled the plan at a news conference in Austin — home to a significant number of immigrants who work in food processing — and was slated to talk it up in St. Cloud and Moorhead.
Last week, he outlined get-tough measures for illegal immigrants, including stiffer penalties for fake IDs and more authority for law enforcement to go after those who commit crimes. Enforcing immigration laws usually falls to the federal government.
The governor's proposals for legal immigrants include:
—$1.7 million for a $300 tax credit available to immigrant families with incomes of less than $30,000, to help cover the cost of English classes and citizenship application fees.
—Tax, mortgage and business startup assistance through a public-private partnership with the Itasca Project, a group of CEOs and public officials.
—Asking the federal government for more H-1B visas and green cards for immigrant college students who plan to work in areas such as biomedical engineering, medical research and software development. Currently, about 65,000 such visas are granted each year.
—Creating an Immigrant Investor Visa Regional Center in the state to attract foreign investors, who could get visas to live and work here if they invest at least $500,000 and create at least 10 new jobs or help a struggling business avoid layoffs.
—$3 million grant program for English language classes for about 1,100 workers.
—More federal visa waivers for foreign doctors who work in underserved areas outside the Twin Cities. Last year the state used 21 such waivers out of a possible 30.
—$500,000 to immunize immigrants against hepatitis B and reduce and treat tuberculosis.
