© 2024 Kansas City Public Radio
NPR in Kansas City
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Immigration Debate Heats Up at Topeka Town Hall Meeting

Stephen Koranda
/
Kansas Public Radio

Republican Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins held a town hall meeting in Topeka Wednesday to hear opinions from voters in eastern Kansas, and many of them had immigration on their minds. Jenkins fielded several questions and comments about immigration and the discussion became quite heated.

Renee Slinkard from Parker said the U.S. should close the borders and increase immigration enforcement.

“Our immigration system is not broke,” said Slinkard. “Our immigration system is fine.  What is broken is the enforcement of that immigration system.”

But Reverend Jason Schoff from Kansas City, Kansas, wants to see a path to legal status for some undocumented immigrants. His comments drew a strong reaction from the audience. Schoff said in Kansas, with industries like agriculture, immigrant workers are needed by some businesses.
“A lot of the jobs that they do are things that Americans are not willing to do.”

Jenkins said an immigration bill that passed the U.S. Senate likely faces little chance of passage in the House of Representatives.

As the Kansas News Service managing editor, I help our statewide team of reporters find the important issues and breaking news that impact people statewide. We refine our daily stories to illustrate the issues and events that affect the health, well-being and economic stability of the people of Kansas. Email me at skoranda@kcur.org.
KCUR serves the Kansas City region with breaking news and award-winning podcasts.
Your donation helps keep nonprofit journalism free and available for everyone.