UPDATE: Gov. Henry signed HB 1804 into law on May 8. Tulsa County Sheriff's office is already planning to do citizenship background checks on anyone who is arrested or jailed in their county. LaShawn Barber has much more on this bill. She is a hardcore paleo-conservative on immigration (no amnesty, tight borders, deportation of all illegals) and she notes the following:
Here’s the crux of the matter: “[T]here is an undercurrent of tension between both ethnic groups at the local level that comes down to one basic point: Blacks led the civil rights struggles that are now benefiting the faster-growing Latino population.”
Yep. And it’s only the beginning, and there isn’t much blacks can do about it. As “Latinos” increase in number and influence, be prepared to kiss all those white-guilt perks goodbye.
Solution? Support enforcement of immigration law and oppose any “reform” that will reward law breakers. That’s a start.
Fellow paleo Michelle Malkin also notes that anyone who knowingly assists illegal aliens -- even on the grounds of personal convictions -- is committing a felony under the federal Immigration and Nationality Act, INA 274A(a)(1)(A).
Certainly I think that the "here's how to cheat the system" pamphlets highlighted by Michelle are definitely going a bit too far. But personal convictions? Here is why I can't go the paleo-conservative route:
17For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. 18He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. 19Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. (Deuteronomy 10:17-19, ESV)
If Democrat governor Brad Henry signs the state legislature's new immigration bill, Oklahoma will have the nation's toughest law designed to prevent businesses from hiring illegal immigrants, and to prevent illegal immigrants from receiving state aid.
This is a tough call. We definitely need to do something about the way that illegal workers are exploited by ruthless employers (and there are plenty of them) -- low pay, long hours, improper training, unsafe work environments, etc. Sadly this situation has existed in this country for well over a hundred years. Read The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. The threat of deportation and the continuous flood of new immigrants looking for work keeps exploited laborers silent. It is terribly unjust to keep a portion of the population in hiding, all but invisible to the laws designed to protect workers safety and well being.
On the other hand, the cheap labor offered by illegal immigrants limits the entry-level job opportunities of citizens, who are subject to workman's comp and state unemployment laws, must be paid minimum wage and whose employment is regulated by the DOL, OSHA, etc. Illegal immigrants who pay little or no taxes also cost the state a tremendous amount of money in social services. Some estimate that illegal immigrants cost the state of Oklahoma up to $200 million a year. That's not chump change.
But if such a law passes, what happens to the illegals already here when they are no longer able to work? I'm also concerned about the increased risk of illegals with automobiles if they cannot get a drivers license or insurance. I can't see a program like this working unless it also includes some kind of plan to get illegal immigrants a state ID, Social Security number, and have them driving and working legally and paying their fair share of income taxes. No, I don't believe in deportation unless someone refuses to follow a simple registration procedure like the one I just outlined.
(More details on the bill in the extended section.)
The Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise reports:
Legislation described as the nation’s most sweeping attempt to deny jobs and public benefits to illegal immigrants was sent to Gov. Brad Henry’s desk Tuesday.
State lawmakers urged Henry to sign the measure into law after it was approved in a bipartisan 84-14 vote by the state House. The bill was approved 41-6 by the Senate last month.
... Henry, who has previously said he believes illegal immigration is a federal issue, has not decided whether he will sign or veto the measure, a spokesman said.
“Gov. Henry supports responsible and effective immigration reform, but he will withhold judgment on this particular bill until he has had an opportunity to review the final version,” communications director Paul Sund said.
... The measure targets employers who knowingly hire illegal aliens in order to gain a competitive advantage. Key elements of the bill focus on determining worker eligibility, including technology called the Basic Pilot program, which screens Social Security numbers to make sure they are real and that they match up with the person’s name.
Created by the federal government to verify the eligibility of government employees, use of the program is mandated in Georgia, said the author of the Oklahoma legislation, Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore. It is free to employers who voluntarily sign up, he said.
... Terrill said the measure would limit state driver’s licenses and identity cards to citizens and legal immigrants and would require state and local agencies to verify the citizenship and immigration status of applicants for state or local benefits.
“The land of opportunity is becoming the land of entitlement,” Rep. Rex Duncan, R-Sand Springs, said while debating for the bill.
The measure would not affect emergency medical and humanitarian services, such as visits to hospital emergency rooms and enrollment in public schools, that are required by federal law.
Terrill said the Federation of American Immigration Reform estimates that illegal immigrants costs state taxpayers up to $200 million a year in public benefits and other resources. (emphasis added)
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