Thread: Immigration reform must be at federal level

Warning: Lib-idiot illegal alien & undocumented criminal hugger
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Opinion
Guest Opinion: Immigration reform must be at federal level

By Mich Coker
http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/199617
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 09.05.2007

Many of us are awakening to the reality of Arizona's new employer-sanctions law, the most draconian of its kind in the nation, which is scheduled to go into effect on Jan. 1. The awakening has been protracted, and understanding has come haltingly.

Our nation is desperately overdue for comprehensive immigration reform. No matter which side of the debate you are on, most agree that U.S. immigration policy is broken.

Frustration has grown exponentially as citizens have become increasingly, and rightly, disappointed by our national leaders' failure to pass legislation that comprehensively tackles the immigration issue, which is breathtakingly vast in its scope.

Regrettably, Arizona has responded to our federal representatives' recalcitrance by enacting the employer-sanctions law — a backlash law that is poorly conceived and overreaching in scope.

Contrary to what you may have heard, those who will be punished by this law will not be undocumented immigrants, but rather all of us who work for a living, own a home, require health care or even visit Arizona from time to time.

By enacting this law, Arizona is counterintuitively and self-destructively handicapping our standard of living, our education system, our health-care providers and our workers. The new law actually encourages bad business practices, under-the-table dealings and unscrupulous efforts by competitors.

The reasons for these unintended consequences are many. There are no exceptions in the law for first responders, hospitals, schools, utility companies, jails, et cetera. Indeed, Arizona is itself specifically defined as an "employer" under the new law.

Accordingly, strict application of the law could result in your child's school being closed, your employer going out of business or your electricity being turned off.

However, the law does nothing to punish unscrupulous employers and employees who already are acting outside the law. Those who break the law will continue to do so, ignoring legal requirements such as business licenses.

This new law provides for the suspension of an employer's business license after a first violation, and permanent revocation of the business license for a second violation. The law invites abuse because anyone may make an anonymous complaint, which must be investigated, and due process is almost entirely nonexistent.

Now the scary part: This law is almost certain to get worse. Supporters of the law have begun a signature-gathering campaign to place an even stricter initiative on the November 2008 ballot.

The result will be "one strike and you're out" law — one violation will result in permanent revocation of the license to do business in Arizona, regardless of whether the violation occurs contrary to the express policies of the employer.

This proposed initiative already has received 25 percent of the signatures required, and proponents boast that 100 percent of the required signatures should be gathered by March. According to certain polls, the new and even more draconian law will pass by an overwhelming margin.
It is critical that everyone be aware of what is happening and begin to take action. Idleness is no longer an option.

Call your legislators and ask them to stop voting for laws that can cripple Arizona's economic development, health care and education. Talk to friends and family members and explain the potential effects of the employer-sanctions law. Demand, demand, demand comprehensive immigration reform at the federal level, which provides the only hope for a viable solution.

Write to Mich Coker at mcoker@swlaw.com.

Zeezil wrote-
Warning: Lib-idiot illegal alien & undocumented criminal hugger


An undocumented criminal hugger -Zeezil you're a hoot




Head 'em up,move 'em out Rawhide!