Undocumented workers and business gets personal.

• Author: Cote, Mike
• Position: LABOR

While promoting her book, "Just Like Us: The True Story of Four Mexican Girls Coming of Age in America," Denver journalist Helen Thorpe says businesspeople have shared their thoughts on illegal immigration and the conflicting ideals of compassion and compliance they've struggled with as employees.

At one event, a woman in the food service industry whom Thorpe described as "very conservative" was moved to tears.

"She didn't want to hire illegal immigrants," Thorpe said. "But she had people on her payroll who turned out to have names that didn't match their Social Security numbers, and she had grown really fond of them and dependent on them. They were reliable workers. It was incredibly painful for her to have to deal with the fact that they were not here legally."

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Thorpe's book could take on a greater resonance if immigration arises as a campaign issue in the state elections this year, especially now that her husband, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, is running to replace fellow Democrat Gov. Bill Ritter. One chapter of the book is based on an interview with former Colorado congressman and outspoken immigration foe Tom Tancredo.

Thorpe has seen the issue from both sides...