Thread: Anne Arundel County Is Latest To Challenge Illegal Workers

Anne Arundel County Is Latest To Challenge Illegal Workers
Businesses to Certify Immigration Status of Employees

By Raymond McCaffrey
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, August 23, 2007; Page HO07

Anne Arundel County, the latest Washington area jurisdiction to take a new and public position against illegal immigration, has announced that businesses with county contracts will be required to sign affidavits attesting that they do not employ workers who are in the country illegally.

County contracts have long required businesses to comply with federal law, but aides to County Executive John R. Leopold (R) -- who issued the executive order last week -- said the new language will allow the county to more easily cancel contracts with violators.

"It gives the county a better opportunity and a stronger means of terminating the contract because of the breach of the condition," said David A. Plymyer, a deputy county attorney. "They're not only violating the federal law, they're also violating the certification to the county."

Leopold, who as a state delegate voted against measures granting driver's licenses and in-state tuition to illegal immigrants, said his "actions should come as no surprise" to anyone. As part of his overall effort to reduce expenditures in the county's 2008 fiscal plan, Leopold cut about $115,000 for El Centro de Ayuda and the Organization for Hispanic and Latin Americans, which provide job referrals, legal assistance and other services to Hispanic immigrants.

"My first obligation to the taxpayers of the county is to make sure their resources are used prudently," he said in an interview.

Leopold said his order is similar to initiatives by state governments in Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Missouri and Oklahoma. Loudoun and Prince William counties have passed resolutions to address concerns over illegal immigration.

Gigi Guzman, former chairman of the Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said Anne Arundel's move was not surprising. "Everybody is doing it," she said.

She said the movement to crack down on illegal immigrants and businesses that employ them risks leaving working families unable to support themselves. "It is going to create a hardship for them," she said. "Many of those families have American-born children."

Leopold said that he issued the order after receiving complaints from "legitimate contractors." He did not specify the contractors, and aides reached later said they did not know the names of the companies.

"I weigh the cries of discrimination against the legitimate concerns of businesses who feel that they will be placed at a competitive disadvantage against businesses who hire illegal immigrants," Leopold said.

He said that obligation is especially strong as the county and the state face "enormous financial challenges," particularly the need to provide the infrastructure related to an influx of workers to Fort Meade as part of the Pentagon's base realignment plan. The county can't "overburden taxpayers with the demands of illegal immigrants," he said.

"Clearly, the challenges are more daunting today and require adherence to the law," Leopold said.

Leopold said the county would not expend resources "to look over the shoulder of businesses." Instead, the county will respond to complaints it receives about businesses not complying with the law.

Staff writer William Wan contributed to this report.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 01089.html

"Many of those families have American born children."

That statement is so revealing as to what the motus operandi for these invaders is.

The 14th amendment needs to be properly construed ASAP. These invaders live off their "jackpot" babies.

Employer sanctions are great, but this administration's seriousness is always in question. To me, proper application of the 14th amendment, and then defeat of the DREAM Act would be the two things that would really take the wind out of the sails of this invasion movement.

Then, build the dam fence.