Durbin, Harkin take on King for immigration comments

U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tom Harkin said Friday they will hold an immigration forum in the congressional district of Rep. Steve King, the Republican lawmaker whose comments about young people in the country illegal have stirred national controversy.

Durbin's and Harkin's offices announced the forum, to be held Friday, Aug. 2, in Ames.

Durbin, an Illinois Democrat, is one of the Gang of Eight that drafted a comprehensive immigration bill and has long been an advocate for young people brought the country illegally. Harkin, D-Iowa, has long favored comprehensive reform.

In an interview published earlier this week, King, a Republican from western Iowa, characterized many young people who were brought to the country illegally - often called "DREAMers" by immigration advocates - as drug smugglers.

"For every one who's a valedictorian, there's another 100 out there who weigh 130 pounds - and they've got calves the size of canteloupes, because they're hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert," King said.

Since then, advocates, Democrats and some Republicans, too, including House Speaker John Boehner, have condemned the remarks. On the floor of the Senate on Thursday, Durbin called the comments "mean and hateful." Other critics say they're just factually incorrect.

King, who is a leader in the House in opposing what he calls amnesty, has defended his comments. In a radio interview, he said they are accurate and that "professional hyperventilators" are stirring up people against him, according to Radio Iowa.

The decision to hold a hearing in King's district will draw even more attention to the controversy.

In an advisory Friday, the senators' offices said the forum will feature "DREAMers from across Iowa, farmers, students and small businesses that support the Senate's approach to immigration reform." Full details will be released next week.

The hearing is the latest in a series of condemnations of the congressman's remarks.

An online survey initiated by a volunteer for the group Progress Iowa asking Boehner to remove King from an immigration-related subcommittee in the House had gained more than 22,000 signatures by mid-afternoon Friday.

King couldn't be reached for comment Friday.