GOP bills targeting Pa.'s illegal immigrants
Crime rate is high among those who sneak across U.S. borders, lawmakers say.

By TOM MURSE, Staff
Lancaster New Era

Published: Sep 24, 2007 11:20 AM EST

PENNSYLVANIA - State Rep. Tom Creighton and fellow Republican lawmakers are trying again to bring the issue of illegal immigration to the forefront in Pennsylvania, saying the crime rate is higher among those who sneak across U.S. borders.

"Illegal immigrants are not your PhDs, they're not your professionals, not your lawyers," said Creighton, of Rapho Township. "They find that by escaping across the border, they avoid prosecution in their own countries."

Once here, he said, they're exploited and often return to a life of crime.

Creighton, joined by Reps. Daryl Metcalfe of Butler County, Mark Mustio of Allegheny County and Scott Perry of York County, provided to the media a laundry list of crimes committed by illegal immigrants in Pennsylvania in recent years.

They range from assault and battery and identity theft to murder and drug trafficking, and are concentrated in the state's densely populated areas such as Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Lancaster.

The report, called "Putting a Human Face on Pennsylvania's Illegal Alien Invasion," is designed to put pressure on the Legislature to adopt of series of proposals introduced earlier this year that are aimed at cracking down on illegal immigrants.

Creighton introduced two of the bills in March. One would authorize the Pennsylvania State Police to negotiate a "memorandum of understanding" with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. The document would allow state police to become one of only a select few departments allowed to enforce federal immigration laws.

Metcalfe's report, unveiled at a late-morning news conference in Harrisburg, estimates there are as many as 200,000 illegal immigrants in Pennsylvania, including more than 3,100 charged with crimes in recent years. The reports of criminal activity were provided to Metcalfe during 2006 testimony before the House Republican Policy Committee.

The victims, he said, were "ordinary, hardworking Pennsylvanians just like you whose lives have been unnecessarily lost or irreparably damaged due to the federal government's overwhelming refusal to secure our borders from illegal alien invaders."

The legislative package, called "National Security Begins at Home," includes a second Creighton proposal that would keep closer track of illegal immigrants and their involvement in crime.

Metcalfe's bill would require all employers to verify Social Security numbers of prospective employees. Mustio's measure would revoke the professional license of any firm that knowingly employs illegal immigrants.

Perry's bill would eliminate all non-emergency medical benefits for illegal immigrants, including welfare, education and unemployment benefits.

Appearing with the lawmakers today was Lou Barletta, the Hazleton mayor who attracted national attention as the architect of the city's tough anti-illegal immigration law that a federal judge struck down in July. Barletta has endorsed the proposals.

CONTACT US: tmurse@LNPnews.com or 481-6021

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