Thread: SC Senate pass illegal immigration bill

By SEANNA ADCOX Associated Press
Wednesday, February 13, 2008

A bill requiring both public and private employers to check if their employees are illegal immigrants and making it a crime to create or use false documents to get a job was approved Wednesday by the South Carolina Senate.

The bill also prohibits illegal immigrants from attending public colleges, bars them from getting state scholarships to private colleges, creates a felony for harboring or transporting illegals, and allows fired workers to sue their employers if they're replaced by an illegal immigrant.

The legislation will now go to the House, which passed its own version that only required businesses with public contracts to check for illegal immigrants. If the House doesn't pass the Senate bill, the legislation will go to a conference committee.

While the bill passed the Senate unanimously, some senators said it has a large loophole for private employers. But one of the objectors, Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell, said some form of illegal immigration legislation needed to pass.

"If we sit and do nothing and other states pass stiffer laws, the concern is the state is going to get flooded with illegals," McConnell said.

The bill requires businesses with public contracts to hire employees who have an approved driver's license or use a federal program to check their legal status.

But it gives private businesses a third option of using a federal Employment Eligibility Verification form, also called the I-9 to verify that employees are authorized to work in the country.

McConnell and Sen. Chip Campsen argued the form is the basis of the illegal immigration problem because federal law forbids any verification of the documents used to complete it.

That allows illegal workers to get away with using fake Social Security cards or driver's licenses from states whose requirements are less strict, the Isle of Palms Republican said.

"You're building on a false foundation," Campsen said. "Eventually, people will understand that if you allow the I-9 to be the verification document, you do the same thing the federal government has done, which is nothing."

Federal law also prevents states from seeking criminal penalties against businesses for employing illegal immigrants, McConnell said.

"All we're going to do is make a group of lawyers rich if we attempt to do that, because we'll be sued," McConnell said. "Our hands are tied. This issue ultimately has got to be solved in Washington, D.C."

McConnell suggested having the state require its own identical form. A state agency would check at least 100 businesses yearly to ensure they have the forms, and that the documents that back them up are legal.

The Senate's Democratic leader, Sen. John Land, argued the Republican senators were trying to overburden small businesses. The Manning Democrat said honest employers would be hassled, while those who hire illegals wouldn't complete the paperwork anyway.

The sponsor of the bill, Sen. Jim Ritchie, said the Senate did the best it legally could to get tough on illegal immigration.

The Spartanburg Republican said enforcement for private businesses may depend on contractors reporting rivals that outbid them because they employ cheap illegal immigrant labor.

They could call law enforcement, which could pursue a case for false documents, or call the Revenue Department, since the legislation prohibits businesses from deducting wages of illegal workers, Ritchie said.

Sen. John Courson said he was concerned voters will misinterpret what the legislation actually does.

"Are we misleading the people of South Carolina as to what we're trying to do?" asked the Columbia Republican. "How are we going to close our border? Are we going to put concertina wire over the Savannah River?"

http://www.goupstate.com/article/20080213/APN/80213089

A bill requiring both public and private employers to check if their employees are illegal immigrants and making it a crime to create or use false documents to get a job was approved Wednesday by the South Carolina Senate.

Great news and important news.

The Spartanburg Republican said enforcement for private businesses may depend on contractors reporting rivals that outbid them because they employ cheap illegal immigrant labor.

I'm sure "Lone Protester" is happy to hear about this and I hope he can use it to slam the guy who brought charges for the high crime of saying the words "cheap bastard".

Excellent news. A strong bill focusing on employer sanctions and employment eligibility... that's a good thing (consistent with the SAVE act BTW too).

Originally Posted by Sharona

"If we sit and do nothing and other states pass stiffer laws, the concern is the state is going to get flooded with illegals," McConnell said.

A combination of attrition and the domino effect...this could work!

I betcha this doesn't make Lindsey Grahamnasty very happy, though! He's gonna get nailed on this issue!!!

Yipppee!!!!

Another ray of sunshine for us!!!

The bill also prohibits illegal immigrants from attending public colleges, bars them from getting state scholarships to private colleges

Illegals have NO RIGHT to attend public colleges and to get scholarships. That is reserved for American citizens only.