HARRISBURG -- State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-Cranberry, is taking his fight against illegal immigration nationwide.

Mr. Metcalfe yesterday announced formation of a nationwide coalition of lawmakers pressing to force illegal immigrants back to their home countries.

Lawmakers from 24 other states have joined State Legislators for Legal Immigration, a group founded by Mr. Metcalfe.

The goals are to urge stricter enforcement of federal immigration laws, secure borders, and withhold public benefits, welfare, education and employment from illegal aliens.

The federal government isn't doing enough, so it's time for states to step in, Mr. Metcalfe said.

If states block access to jobs and services, illegal immigrants will go home on their own, and take their children with them, Mr. Metcalfe said. While federal law grants automatic citizenship to anyone born in the United States, Mr. Metcalfe doesn't consider those children to be here legally.

"If you have a child here illegally, you should pick that little baby up, take that child back home and then come back the right way," he said.

Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli said Mr. Metcalfe's efforts will reduce crime.

"Illegal aliens come here to evade the law, to commit crime and impact negatively on our country," he said.

Illegal aliens steal identities, join gangs and commit violent crimes at a disproportionate rate, he said. Five of the 10 rapes in his county last year were committed by illegal immigrants, Mr. Morganelli said.

"This is a small number of people committing a lot of crime," he said.

Mary Labert, a councilwoman in McAdoo, Schuylkill County, also spoke at yesterday's news conference.

She said illegal immigrants are draining municipal services and requiring the borough to hire bilingual police officers and teachers.

Larry Frankel of the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania said undocumented immigrants pay taxes and contribute to their communities.

"We need these people out of the shadows and into the mainstream of our society. We need them here as workers," he said.

Mr. Metcalfe said that's fine with him, as long as they go through legal channels to be here.

Mr. Metcalfe has been the state House's most vocal opponent of illegal immigration.

Earlier this year, he led a group of House colleagues, including Mark Mustio, R-Moon, as they unveiled a package of bills attacking what they called the "crisis" of illegal immigration.

The bills have not yet come to a vote.

The bills would increase enforcement of immigration laws, prevent illegal immigrants from receiving state benefits, and allow the state to revoke licenses from hairdressers, architects and other professionals who hire illegal immigrants.

Opponents of the legislation say the bills are hateful and that immigration is a federal issue best left to Congress.

Mr. Metcalfe said Congress hasn't done enough.

"Since Washington, D.C., remains AWOL on fulfilling its constitutional responsibilities to secure our nation's borders against foreign invaders, it is ... the obligation for state lawmakers to step up and do the job that our federal government refuses to do," he said.