Thread: support new state immigration law -- with reservations

Local legislators support new state immigration law -- with reservations
Monday, August 11, 2008
By TRAVIS WATTS/Staff writer

The only thing about House Bill 1549, a new state immigration law passed in July, that Missouri legislators can truly agree on is that this issue should not be a state matter.
"The real problem is the federal government not doing what they are supposed to be doing," said Sen. Bill Stouffer (R-Napton).

Although Stouffer feels immigration is a federal issue, he supports the new law.

House Bill 1549 punishes those who knowingly employ undocumented immigrants, and also denies funding to cities that enact a sanctuary policy.

The bill also requires members of the Missouri State Highway Patrol be trained in the enforcement of federal immigration laws.

"We're trying to level the playing field," said Stouffer. "It's not fair for one group to follow the law and be undercut.

"This is not anti-immigrant. We need guest workers."

Many opponents of the bill think it will have harsh unintended consequences.

"By driving folks out of the state, it will hurt the state economically," said Chuck Hird.
Hird, a member of the MMU Board of Public Works, says the law is "separating them (immigrants) as an underclass."

"It's really affecting all the immigrants, legal and illegal," he said. "We're creating a group of people that will end up on the street."
Hird said the government should ease the path to citizenship and focus immigration laws on those "who are not good citizens."

Like Stouffer, Rep. Joe Aull (D-Marshall) supported the bill despite thinking the issue should have been dealt with at the federal level, but he did have "some reservations."

"I think we've got to crack down on illegal immigrants, (but) I hope we're being humane," he said.

Aull partially based his decision to support the bill on conversations with area residents.

"A pretty large majority of the people I talked to wanted to have more restrictions," he said.

One aspect of the bill, which forbids the use of translators during tests for commercial driver's licenses, has been especially controversial.

Hird said he feels this restriction makes the written portion of the test too difficult for those still learning English.

"You don't have to speak English fluently," said Stouffer. "This is just a matter of public safety."

However, Hird thinks this change will result in an increase of unlicensed and uninsured drivers.

"It's a shame, it's just a bad deal."

© Copyright 2008, Marshall Democrat-News
Story URL: http://www.marshallnews.com/story/1451897.html

"It's really affecting all the immigrants, legal and illegal," he said. "We're creating a group of people that will end up on the street."
Hird said the government should ease the path to citizenship and focus immigration laws on those "who are not good citizens."

Oh jeezy peezy, is all I can say as the four-letter words would probably subject me to some FCC investigation.
The illegals on the street can go home, courtesy of the US taxpayer and focusing immigrations laws on those who are not good citizens is one of the stupidest things I have heard. THESE PEOPLE SUBJECTED TO THIS LAW ARE NOT CITIZENS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am frightened that any of these characters are representatives of their American constituencies.