Anne Arundel County Executive Janet Owens said establishing worker permits for immigrants who live in the state would be a step forward in resolving the backlash immigrants have faced recently.
In an interview with The Examiner, Owens refuted recent reports that there were 40,000 illegal immigrants in the county. “I think that number is a little high,” said Owens, who is considering a run for Congress.
Owens said Annapolis may have a large population of illegal immigrants, but said interviews with health officials and church congregations around the county suggest that most of the immigrants in the county are legal.
She said immigrants, however, should obtain worker permits, which provide legal status.
Proposed legislation that would make it a crime for immigrants without proper papers to be in the county has galvanized opposition from the immigrant community throughout the state and the country.
In 2004, there were an estimated 245,000 illegal immigrants in the state, according to research from the Washington-based Pew Hispanic Research Center.
Owens said she supports Sen. Barbara Mikulsi, D- Md., for proposing an expansion of a program that permits foreign seasonal workers to continue working in the county.
Experts say the proposed legislation would undoubtedly affect Maryland?s economy since illegal immigrants perform many of the jobs others won?t do. But they say there should not be too much concern about the legislation actually passing.
By the numbers
Estimated of Illegal Immigrants in Maryland:
» 1990: About 35,000
» 2000: About 120,000
» 2004: About 245,000
? Source: Pew Hispanic Reseach Center
