The Kansas African American Affairs Commission and the Kansas Hispanic and Latino American Affairs Commission coordinated the forum to allow people to ask lawmakers about pending legislation.
The rocky discussion centered on Sen. Peggy Palmer's proposed Kansas Illegal Immigration Relief Act. Among other things, it would require businesses to verify job applicants' employability and allow police to ask about any person's citizenship during an arrest.
"It's a federal issue on who comes in and who leaves," said Palmer, R-Augusta. "States can do something, and that's to stop rewards."
Her bill would also repeal a state law that allows certain illegal-immigrant students to pay in-state tuition, provided they get on a path to citizenship, among other objectives.
Hearings on Palmer's and other immigration proposals are expected late this month.
"I've studied the issue to understand the issues," Palmer said to a crowd of about 50 people. "It's not to hurt anybody, and it's not to hurt businesses."
Palmer said she's responding to her constituents' concerns. She said Kansas could become a sanctuary state if lawmakers don't respond, especially with neighboring states passing or creating legislation targeting illegal immigrants. Oklahoma, for example, has enacted one of the toughest anti-illegal-immigration laws in the nation.
"This is not about the people who came into the country like my forefathers," she said, adding that terrorism is a concern.
Robert Snyder, a Wichita businessman in the audience, responded, "These people aren't terrorists."
When Palmer said her bill would deny illegal immigrants public welfare benefits, people in the audience asked for statistics showing which benefits illegal immigrants receive through the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services. Palmer offered to meet with them to further discuss the issue but did not provide any statistics.
Reps. Ann Mah, D-Topeka, Jim Ward, D-Wichita, and Delia Garcia, D-Wichita, also addressed the crowd.
Deborah Dandridge, a member of the Kansas African American Affairs Commission, questioned how people can identify illegal immigrants. She said it seems legislative proposals are concentrating on people who "look a certain way."
"I'm not being discriminatory," Palmer said. "That upsets me terribly. We're all Kansans."
Deltha Q. Colvin, vice president for student affairs at Wichita State University, was in Topeka to receive a state award for community service. Colvin called for fairness.
"Right now you're saying this whole group is against you, and we've not said that," Colvin told Palmer. "Let's be fair if we can."
Steve Cisneros, executive director of the Hispanic and Latino American Affairs commission, escorted Palmer out of the auditorium after several more questions.
"I thought it was very admirable for Senator Palmer to address a crowd that was probably 90 percent on the opposite side of her legislation," he said.
Luis Figueroa, legislative staff attorney for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, a civil rights organization, said Kansas lawmakers should study state-specific data on the impact of illegal immigration before taking action.
"Fear-based legislation leads to fear-based behavior," he said.
Following Palmer's address, Don Jordan, secretary of the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services, addressed the notion of illegal immigrants receiving public benefits.
He said the only service his agency extends is foster care, following a judge's order.
"We don't ask about citizenship" in those instances, he said. All other services, such as food assistance, require people be U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents.
"I believe we can enforce these laws and achieve what people want without creating a spirit of fear and distrust," Jordan said.
Several lawmakers, including Rep. Nile Dillmore, D-Wichita, are pushing for an audit that would examine, among other issues, the fiscal implications of illegal immigration.
Figueroa told the crowd that Kansas shouldn't be quick to adopt more legislation.
"Kansas should wait and see how court decisions play out and what the economic implications in Oklahoma and the moral implications are and how they're playing out as a result of anti-immigration legislation," he said.