Won't this be another VICTORY, for "we the people"?
Arizona's measure will be toughest in U.S. if it becomes law
Sean Holstege
The Arizona Republic
Jun. 26, 2007 12:00 AM
Frustration with Congress' inability to tackle the immigration crisis has reached all 50 state capitols, with a tough Arizona measure leading the way.
The Arizona bill, which passed the Legislature last week, would shut down businesses twice caught knowingly hiring illegal immigrants. Gov. Janet Napolitano must act on the bill, one of the strictest in the country, by next Monday. She could sign it, veto it or let it become law without her signature.
This year, more than twice as many bills dealing with immigration employment as last year have been introduced in legislatures across the country. Congress' sputtering efforts to reform federal laws are behind the surge, as states look to fill the gap, experts say. advertisement
"The two strictest state bills we've seen this session are the one in Arizona and the one just signed in Oklahoma. I think Arizona's is the strictest," said Kris Kobach, a University of Missouri Law School professor who helped Arizona lawmakers draft the bill. He litigates immigration law nationally.
"If (Napolitano) signs the bill, it will stand in stark contrast to the lukewarm efforts of the (U.S.) Senate."
Last year, the Senate approved an immigration-reform bill that stalled in the House. Today, senators resume debate on a sweeping bill that stalled weeks ago. They could vote this week on reforms, many of which could make the Arizona plan moot.
The federal bill, among other measures, would require all employers to use databases to verify that their workers were eligible for jobs, and it would beef up penalties for those that don't comply.
Arizona's is one of 199 state bills introduced nationwide this year to take on worksite enforcement. It has been the Brazil nut of immigration policy: hard to crack because some employers want cheap undocumented labor while other employers are hampered in verification procedures by false identification.
"These laws reflect citizen frustration. The pressure is building nationally for these measures, and I can see relative uniformity within a couple years," said Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which opposes the federal reform bill.
"Adding all the Border Patrol agents in the world won't do anything if employers can continue to act with impunity," Stein added.
The total number of bills nationwide addressing all aspects of immigration, from crime to education, jumped from 461 in 43 states in 2006 to 1,169 in all 50 this year.
Arizona's workforce measure is one of a handful in the country that would penalize employers.
Introduced by state Rep. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, it requires each business to sign a sworn affidavit that it does not employ undocumented workers. It imposes fines up to $150,000 for filing a false statement. Firms must use a federal database called the Basic Pilot Project to authenticate employees.
That system matches names and Social Security numbers but has been stymied for years by delays and data glitches.
Prosecutors would be required to act within three days on written complaints alleging illegal hiring.
Companies must fire illegal employees within three days of being told and promise not to knowingly hire an undocumented worker again. Those firms caught violating the law a second time would lose their licenses.
In Oklahoma, employers are immunized from penalty if they use Basic Pilot, but violators can be put out of business.
Last year, Colorado enacted a law that required companies to show proof of legal work status within 20 days of hiring. It imposed a fine of $5,000 for a first offense.
Colorado, Pennsylvania and Tennessee all passed laws banning states from contracting or awarding grants to firms that knowingly hire undocumented workers.
But, Kobach says, Arizona's measure would be the toughest for employers.
"It's going to change immigration patterns in and out of Arizona because it will make it a less hospitable place for illegal workers," he said.
Answer:
If the congress passed a bill like that, Tyson chicken and a good chunk of the meat packing plants in the southwest would be out of business by this time in 2008, assuming the bill was enforced.
A great add on to the Arizona bill would be paying a bounty to investigaing agents to ferret out employers who are hiring illegal aliens. If an illegal alien is found on the pay roll and the business is forced to pay it's 10,000 per alien fine, as per the 1986 legislation, the agent(s) who initially cracked the case would get 5% of the fine in a cash bonus per illegal alien. I don't know about you but who can't use an extra $500 from time to time. That pallet factory that was busted with 1200 illegal workers would net the agents a $60,000 bonus. How many state and federal agents would go to work looking for aliens if they knew they could make tons of extra income on every good bust? This would dry up the illegal labor pool almost over night because it would hit the employers breaking the law where it hurts: The bottom line. Plus it wouldn't cost a cent out of the budget since it would be financed by people violating immigration laws.
Yeah go Arizona!
No the Tooth Fairy has more balls than Congress.
The sad part that all the work being done to stop illegal immigration is going to be null and void, because the our so called congress and president is going to grant amnesty.
Hooray for AZ! Hey Arnold - look at what AZ is doing! CA's main problem are the idiots in Sacramento that love the illegals.
"One bill Cedeo" has been working on drivers licenses for illegals for years and the illegals still don't have them. So they are criminals for being here and they are breaking the law when they drive without a valid license!
Count on it being overturned in federal court under the rubric of 'regulating interstate commerce.'
I think everybody shares the frustration with Washington. But the truth is that the right-wing GOP was in charge for 12 years and did nothing. to deal with immigration--while the situation kept getting worse At least now we're finally seeing some action since the democrats took over.
That being said--the bill in Congress (which I reluctantly support) is going to need a lot of revidion in, even if it passes--it is badly flawed. But at least its a start.
If I lived in Arizona, though, I'd have to oppose this bill. Not because a crackdown on employers isn't a good idea--that's long overdue. As far as I'm concerned, unethical businesses are the real criminals--the immigrants are mostly just trying to make a better life for themselves. But shutting down businesses? In Arizona? That's simply not realistic--and you'd throw thousands of American workers out of their jobs--people who have done nothing wrong themselves. I get the point of the law--but its bad policy.
Lets put this all in a nut shell if those idiots in Washington,can't seem to get there act together and enact laws that will stop all of this illegal immigration punish corporations from hiring cheap labor to save on the bottom line knowing these people cannot or will not complain because they are here illegally than hell!I am all for the states doing what they have to do in regard to this issue because I am totally fed up with all of this illegal immigration twelve million that is enough to add to more states to the country it boils down to this and you do not have to be a rocket scientist to figure this out you want to work in this country and have all the benefits and rewards this country has to offer without having to do it from the shadows than come into this country legally and you'll have no problem how hard is that to figure out not unless your a total moron.
If the companies are large enough, they'll just move to another state. How hard can that be? It will only hurt the AZ economy more than it already is.
Also, If illegals are no longer welcome in Arizona, there's 49 other states to move to.
The Immigration information post by website user , MyTend.com not guarantee correctness.
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