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Colorado House OKs Bill To Report Illegal Immigrants

DENVER (AP) -- The Colorado House has given preliminary approval to a bill that would require law-enforcement officers to report suspected illegal immigrants to prosecutors.

The measure, approved on a voice vote Thursday, would also force bail bond agents to forfeit a bond if a client is deported.

Supporters of House Bill 1088 say it's needed to make prosecutors aware of a suspect's immigration status and whether he or she is a flight risk. Immigrant advocates say the bill will lead to discrimination.

Republican Rep. Mark Barker's bill is substantially different than when he first introduced it. Barker initially wanted to lower the legal standard of "probable cause" to "reasonable grounds" for believing someone was in the country illegally when determining bail.

The proposal faces another vote before it heads to the Senate.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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