Former Governor Richard Lamm gave me my start in politics. He has been a friend and mentor ever since. We agree on many important issues, but not on immigration. Governor Lamm is not a "racist" as some have labeled him; he is, instead, deeply worried about the impact of immigration on population growth. There is good reason for this. The Immigration and Naturalization Service reports that immigrants arriving between 1990 and 1998 accounted for 42% of the 20 million population increase since 1990.

But, that is only one facet of immigration. It certainly does not justify banning immigration for 5 years, as Governor Lamm and Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo advocated recently. No doubt Native Americans, as throngs of white immigrants inundated their lands, also wanted a permanent moratorium on new immigration. Nonetheless, our nation has continued to benefit from the cultural and economic contributions of generations of immigrants.

Anti-immigration stances are not new. In the 1850's, the "Know-Nothing" Party, aiming to disenfranchise the Irish, passed several state laws requiring voter literacy tests. Another group tried to ban German-language instruction in Midwestern schools. In 1882, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act. And, more recently, we have seen a plethora of anti-immigrant initiatives on state ballots.

While illegal immigration is a big concern, we should realize that nearly 75% of new immigrants come to the United States legally. Most, in fact, come to join family members already legally here. That reinforces one of our longstanding societal values, to reunite separated families.

Many people fear that new immigrants aren't assimilating, aren't becoming "real" Americans. While it's true that many first generation immigrants have never learned to speak English, almost all of their children do speak English. Some people worry that immigrant enclaves are undermining the fabric of American society. Yet, most of us enjoy going to the Little Italy's and Chinatowns, the ethnic restaurants and festivals of our richly diverse country. These are not examples of an inability to assimilate; they are the heritage that makes the United States unique among nations.

We err in thinking that assimilation means giving up your ethnic identity. Assimilation goes both ways. An immigrant learns to speak English and share our democratic values. At the same time, he or she contributes to our culture with new foods, strong family ties, different arts, languages and customs. These do not destroy our way of life; they enrich it. This assimilation is not instantaneous; it takes time.

Then, there are the economic considerations. As the economy cools, fears grow that immigrants are taking U.S. citizens' jobs. In reality, most new immigrants take jobs the rest of us don't want. Ask Colorado ski area employers who busses tables and cleans rooms and they'll tell you, "immigrants". Same with janitorial services, lawn care businesses, meat packing and many construction jobs.

What's more, our employment-based immigration system is designed to attract the best and brightest residents of other countries. Priority is given to workers who have "extraordinary ability" or are "outstanding professors and researchers". Our high tech industry is desperate for these workers. They not only bring critical skills; they bring innovation, originality and creativity.

If we're going to worry about immigration, let's focus on the biggest problem-illegal immigration. Throughout the world, desperate people from destitute countries are crossing borders to seek work in rich nations. They usually live in dismal conditions in order to send money home to sustain their families.

If we really want to stop illegal immigration, we will have to take more responsibility for helping impoverished people succeed at home. Education, family planning and job opportunities are the most important pathways to reducing illegal immigration here and population explosions in the Third World. Unless we are willing to help provide these essentials, we can expect to have our borders assailed by less fortunate people hoping to build a better life. Banning immigration isn't the answer. Helping to improve conditions in poor countries so that people won't have to leave to live is a far better way to go.