Bill in Louisiana Legislature targets illegal immigrants
Published: Thursday, March 31, 2011, 10:00 PM
By Ed Anderson, The Times-Picayune The Times-Picayune

Legislation to restrict the hiring, transporting or granting of public benefits to illegal immigrants in the state has been filed by an Assumption Parish House member.

Rep. Joe Harrison, R-Napoleonville, has filed House Bill 59 for the April 25 regular session to create "The Louisiana Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act of 2011."

Harrison, who has filed similar legislation in the past, said he will "be going all out this year" to pass it. "We are not going to let up," he said.

Past opposition has come from contractors who would be restricted in their hiring practices and the social services arm of the Roman Catholic Church, which provides food, shelter and other aid to illegal immigrants when they arrive here.

Harrison said he is working with the contractors on possible changes to his bill, but the Catholic Church has not been willing to work with him on it.

The bill tentatively has been assigned to the House Judiciary Committee for a hearing.

The bills states that illegal immigration "has resulted in economic hardship and lawlessness within the state and that illegal immigration is encouraged when public agencies provide public benefits without verifying immigration status."

Harrison said his bill is not targeted at immigrants who are here legally, but he wants to ensure that illegal immigrants are not taking jobs from Louisiana residents at a time when jobs are scarce.

"If people are legal, I have no problem with that," Harrison said. "If they are illegal and working cheaply, it undercuts the idea of helping our people get jobs."

Harrison's bill requires all state and local public bodies to verify the "lawful presence" of all individuals 14 and older who apply for state benefits, but would not deny them emergency medical care or aid from food banks and counseling services if needed.

The status of individuals arrested on criminal charges must be checked through federal and state databases; if they are in the state illegally, they must be turned over to federal authorities for processing.

The bill also would prohibit illegal immigrants from paying in-state tuition or receiving financial aid or minority scholarships at state colleges and universities.

The bill would make it a crime to transport or help illegal aliens stay in the state, or harbor someone who is here illegally. It also would punish those who would make a profit on transporting illegal immigrants and those who would get "a commercial advantage" from hiring them.

Anyone convicted of transporting or harboring an illegal immigrant would face up to six months in jail, a $500 fine or both. Those who conceal, shelter or transport six or more illegals would face a sentence of not less than one year in jail and a fine of not less than $1,000 per illegal immigrant.

Subsequent convictions, Harrison said, would result in a fine of not less than $1,000 per illegal immigrant and not less than a year in jail. The maximum fines and jail sentences are not spelled out in the bill.

The proposal would require all public agencies, after March 15, 2012, to verify the status of new employees and authorizes private and government employers, labor unions, schools and other groups to issue ID cards to citizens, "nationals, and legal permanent resident aliens."

It also would authorize the attorney general's office to set up a unit to investigate fraudulently issued IDs and other documents, if money is available.

So far, 101 bills have been filed in advance of the session, 70 in the House and 31 in the Senate.

Ed Anderson can be reached at eanderson@timespicayune.com or 225.342.5810.

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/ ... ature.html