By SARAH KESSINGER

Harris News Service

TOPEKA -- State GOP Chairman Kris Kobach is stepping up his campaign against illegal immigrants as he moves his advocacy efforts from courtrooms into the Kansas Legislature.

The Kansas Republican Party issued a press release Friday announcing a new bill on illegal immigrants that is slated for introduction in the Kansas Legislature soon. The release credited Kobach with helping draft the bill, noting he serves as attorney for the state of Arizona, the city of Hazleton, Pa., and the city of Valley Park, Mo., in litigation involving states and cities seeking to enact laws on illegal immigration.

The release didn't mention that Kobach also leads the party.

Kobach said later that his chairman post is separate from his push against illegal immigrants but that his work isn't inconsistent with the party's platform.

"This is me wearing a different hat. I'm doing this in my capacity as an immigration lawyer and law professor," said Kobach, who works for the University of Missouri at Kansas City.

"There's no reason I'd refuse to help legislators in Kansas if I'm helping them in other states," he said. "In my capacity as a law professor, I'll help Democrats, too."

The party is promoting legislation by Sen. Peggy Palmer, R-Augusta, who was aided by Kobach in writing a multifaceted bill on illegal immigration.

It would, among other things, repeal Kansas law that lets certain illegal immigrants pay in-state tuition at public colleges and universities.

It also would add new state restrictions on food and medical benefits and seeks to draw on local and state law officers to enforce federal immigration law.

'Hateful politics?'

In the last election cycle, Kobach ran for Congress on the illegal immigration issue, failing to unseat 3rd District Democratic Rep. Dennis Moore.

Kansas Democratic Party Chairman Larry Gates criticizes Kobach's continued efforts.

"Kansans should be suspicious of legislation written by a failed candidate whose extreme views couldn't find favor among voters," Gates wrote in an e-mailed statement.

Kobach also is working to keep alive a court challenge to the Kansas law on in-state tuition. The law was crafted for students who have attended high school in Kansas at least three years and graduated or earned a general education development certificate.

The case was brought by the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which Kobach represents. The FAIR case in Kansas was dismissed for lack of standing by a U.S. District Court judge in Topeka and was appealed twice in the federal 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver, where it also was rejected for lack of standing.

Kobach said he next plans to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case.

New laws needed

Kobach says it's high time Kansas lawmakers pass new requirements on employers and new restrictions on public benefits to illegal immigrants and direct local and state law enforcement to enforce federal immigration law.

Oklahoma, Arizona, and Colorado recently have enacted laws that more heavily penalize employers who fail to determine the legal status of workers.

Kobach said illegal workers in those states are now likely to move to Kansas, which is less restrictive.

Kara Lineweber, spokeswoman for El Centro, an immigrant advocacy organization in Kansas City, said such bills tend to duplicate restrictions already in federal law.

Lineweber said Kansas has spent $1 million on new federal verification requirements to determine whether undocumented immigrants are signing up for Medicaid. Yet, it has produced no cases of fraud, state officials say.