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County immigrant status bill stalled
Would bar asking for citizenship before county services given
By Anita Weier
Democrats successfully stalled Senate action on a bill that would have nullified a Dane County ordinance that bars county employees from asking about the immigration status of people seeking county services.

The parliamentary delay tactic succeeded because Thursday was the last day of the regular legislative session, but it followed extensive and heartfelt debate.

Sen. Glenn Grothman, R-West Bend, proposed the bill. "We must prevent local counties that pass ordinances saying immigration law should be ignored," he argued. "If we expect people to obey the law, it is important our officials act as if the law means something."

Sen. Julie Lassa, D-Stevens Point, introduced an amendment that would have required that companies that hire illegal aliens be ineligible for tax exemptions, government contracts, grants and loans.

But Senate President Al Lasee, R-De Pere, ruled that the amendment was "non-germane" to Grothman's bill, and the Senate upheld his decision on a partisan vote.

During debate on the bill itself, Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison, argued that the county ordinance had been requested by law enforcement authorities.

"A lot of people come to this county from other parts of the world," Risser said, and the fear of deportation could prevent them from reporting crimes.

He added that the bill would gut Dane County's anti-discrimination ordinance, and said "the state shouldn't tell local units of government what they can and can't do."

"The primary opposition to this bill is the county sheriff," said Sen. Mark Miller, D-Monona. "He needs to be able to interrogate anyone who knows about a crime. This (ordinance) has been a very effective tool."

He also pointed out that Sheriff Gary Hamblin is "no radical lefty," and is in fact a Republican.

Sen. Lena Taylor, D-Milwaukee, said her constituents are concerned that the bill could lead to racial profiling.

She also alleged that the bill was launched for political purposes.

The Legislature should not act prematurely but wait and see what Congress does about immigration law, Taylor added.

Sen. Cathy Stepp, R-Sturtevant, noted that Dane County's law means that more people use the state's Medicaid insurance, which is in a fiscal crunch.

"Legal citizens will have to get in line in Dane County behind illegal residents," Stepp said. Voting against the bill would be "voting against legal hardworking citizens," she added.

The Senate then voted to take up the issue. But the Democrats succeeded in objecting to a final vote on the bill, because overcoming the objection requires a two-thirds majority. The vote was 19 yes and 13 no - short of the two-thirds vote.

County Executive Kathleen Falk had opposed Grothman's bill.

Noting that the ordinance was passed by the Dane County Board on a voice vote in 2004, Falk said that public health and public safety were two important reasons for the ordinance.

"The sheriff cannot solve or prevent some crimes if victims or witnesses fear and refuse to come forward, and our public health nurses would be hindered in dealing with pandemic flu or other community health concerns if residents with questionable immigration status were afraid to cooperate with them," Falk said in a release.

E-mail: aweier@madison.com