DENVER (AP) — Seven big Republican donors from Colorado are among the hundreds of leading business groups and GOP donors that have called for action on immigration legislation.
The Colorado names came on letters sent Tuesday to increase pressure on the House GOP as lawmakers prepare to leave Washington for a five-week summer recess.
Two letters were released separately. One signed by more than 400 leading businesses, chambers of commerce and others, and the second by around 100 GOP donors.
The Colorado donors sent their letter to Rep. Scott Tipton, R-Cortez, and the state’s three other Republican congressmen.
Both framed the immigration debate in economic terms as majority House Republicans are debating how to move forward with immigration legislation.
“Standing in the way of reform ensures that we perpetuate a broken system that stifles our economy, leave millions of people living in America unaccounted for, maintain a porous border, and risk a long-lasting perception that Republicans would rather see nothing done than pass needed reform. That is not the path for the Republican Party,” the Colorado letter says.
The letters do not specifically refer to the immigration bill that passed the Senate this summer with votes from Democrats and Republicans. It has stalled in the GOP-controlled House.
The Colorado donors were Charlie P. Gallagher, Charlie McNeil, Larry A. Mizel, Bruce Payne, Doug Robinson, Matt Stava and Marilyn Ware. Together, they accounted for more than $15,000 in campaign donations to Tipton since 2011.
In an emailed statement, Tipton said the House is working on its own immigration plan.
“As Congress works on immigration reform it’s critical that we strive for a solution that permanently fixes the problems within the current system so we don’t end up here again in 20 years, facing the same challenges,” Tipton said. “Verifiable border security is the critical first step to fixing America’s immigration system, and a strengthened guest-worker program is also vital.”
Journal staff writer Joe Hanel contributed to this report.
