In articles about August 17 illegal immigration hearings in Aurora and Lakewood hosted by Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Beauprez, the Rocky Mountain News and the Associated Press both reported Beauprez supports an immigration reform bill passed by the House of Representatives over one passed by the Senate. But in comparing the two bills, both articles failed to explain that, unlike the Senate version, the House bill would make illegal presence in the United States a felony and potentially would subject the country's estimated 11-12 million illegal immigrants to a year and a day in prison.

The August 18 News article, by reporter Stuart Steers, stated: “Both the Senate and Bush administration support a plan establishing a path to citizenship for some illegal immigrants. Beauprez supports a rival plan approved by the House that would force illegal immigrants to return to their home countries.” Similarly, an August 18 Associated Press article (registration required) by Steven K. Paulson reported that Beauprez “said a bill passed by the House would have bolstered immigration laws, while the Senate version would have lured more illegal immigrants to this country.” Neither article gave any further information about the House bill.

By contrast, a previous Rocky Mountain News article from August 12 noted Beauprez “voted for a House bill that would have made illegal immigration a felony and secured the nation's borders.”

Section 203 of the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act, passed by the House in 2005 and supported by Beauprez, would make illegal presence in the United States a felony. Currently, illegal presence is a civil offense punishable by deportation. The felony provision helped provoke large protests in cities across the United States earlier this year.

Before passage of the House bill, Beauprez voted in favor of a failed amendment that would have reduced illegal presence from a felony to a misdemeanor punishable by six months in prison. As Media Matters for America has noted, House Judiciary Committee chairman F. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), the amendment's sponsor, said the Bush administration requested the amendment because it feared the due-process requirements associated with felony charges would limit the number of actual prosecutions.

In addition, Section 202 of the House bill would make it a felony to “assist[ ]” illegal immigrants “to reside in or remain in the United States”:

“Whoever assists, encourages, directs, or induces a person to reside in or remain in the United States, or to attempt to reside in or remain in the United States knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that such person is an alien who lacks lawful authority to come to or enter the United States shall be imprisoned or fined or both.”

From Steers's August 18 Rocky Mountain News article, “Beauprez blasts Bush, Senate approach to illegals”:

“I'm frustrated with the administration and I'm extremely frustrated with Congress,” said Beauprez, who is running for governor.

Beauprez's comments came during a hearing on illegal immigration at the Aurora Municipal Center. About 60 people turned out for the afternoon event, which followed a similar hearing in the morning in Lakewood.

Both the Senate and Bush administration support a plan establishing a path to citizenship for some illegal immigrants. Beauprez supports a rival plan approved by the House that would force illegal immigrants to return to their home countries.

“I would describe what's going on as an invasion,” said Beauprez of the millions of illegal immigrants in the country.

From Paulson's August 18 AP article, “Beauprez criticizes illegal immigration”:

Beauprez, a Republican, is giving up his 7th Congressional seat to take on former Denver district attorney Bill Ritter for governor.

He said a bill passed by the House would have bolstered immigration laws, while the Senate version would have lured more illegal immigrants to this country.

Several witnesses asked Beauprez why he and other politicians don't enforce laws already on the books.