Thread: IN-Bill would require checks on new workers' eligibility

Bill would require checks on new workers' eligibility
January 24, 2010 by Jason Thomas | Star staff

State agencies, local governments and their contractors are the focus of proposed legislation to prevent immigrants who cannot verify their legal status from working — directly or indirectly — on the taxpayer dime.

Senate Bill 213, authored by Sen. Mike Delph, R-Carmel, would require state agencies, cities and counties to use a federal online system to check the eligibility status of all newly hired employees.

The bill also would require contractors doing business with the state, cities and counties to have a contract in place certifying they have verified the legal status of their employees.

The bill, which passed the Senate Pensions and Labor Committee last week, faces a hearing Tuesday with the Senate Appropriations Committee.

At issue is the long-standing debate over illegal immigration. Some estimates put Indiana’s population of those here illegally at more than 100,000.

It is Delph’s third attempt in three years to crack down on the number of people who enter the state illegally, most often in hope of a better life.

“It’s not about the worth of a human being,â€

[quote]
“Poor people come here seeking a better quality of life, like any human being,â€

Doesn't go far enough.

Checks for EVERY SINGLE worker in America. No proof of legal residency=deportation.

Illegal immigration

By Staff Reports

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Indiana Sen. Mike Delph, R-Carmel, is taking his third shot at trying to reduce illegal immigration in Indiana, but he is going in a different direction in the 2010 legislative session, focusing this time on government workers and contractors instead of all businesses.

While Delph believes Hoosiers want a strong immigration law, there is little indication he will do much better this session than he did the past two.

The average Joe may not like illegal immigrants taking Indiana jobs, and believes the practice should be stopped, but interest groups don't see it as being all that simple. Last session, Democratic leadership showed little interest in Delph's bill — it could cost Democrats votes in some parts of the state — and Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels felt it would make it tougher for businesses to hire workers. Also, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and other business groups have opposed Delph's shots at illegal immigration.

Last year's bill was not all that punitive, at least on the first two violations. However, the third violation for a company hiring illegal immigrants would have resulted in the company losing its license to operate in Indiana.

But that provision is gone from this year's bill. Instead, it would require the verification of the legal status of government workers and employees of companies with government contracts. It would require the state and local governments to use E-Verify, the free federal program that lets employers check the legal status of new employees.

The legislation would require the state to look closer at the legal status of people who apply for unemployment benefits. It would also toughen penalties for creating or using false documents — making a fake ID would become a class C felony. So it could hit young Hoosiers who try to craft fake IDs as much as illegal immigrants who attempt to falsify documents.

State Sen. Lindel Hume, D-Princeton, said, "It has implications for our young people more so than it does for illegal aliens,"

In a story by Courier & Press correspondent Bryan Ault, Sen. Hume said there are fiscal implications throughout Delph's bill. He said that legislative leaders had promised not to consider any bills that could add to costs during this year's session.

"Increasing penalties for falsely producing driver's licenses is fiscal," he said.

The broader issue is whether illegal immigration should be dealt with as a state or federal matter. Some other states have adopted their own versions of illegal immigration laws, while others await federal action.

Our own view is that clearly, it is a federal issue that begs for uniformity from state to state. However, in the absence of a federal immigration law, Indiana is justified in passing a law that discourages the intentional hiring of illegal immigrants.

Unfortunately, it is doubtful that this year's version of Delph's bill will do any better than last year's version.

www.courierpress.com

Indiana Senate Committee to Vote on E-Verify

Tuesday, January 19, 2010, 10:20 AM EST - posted on NumbersUSA

Indiana State House

The Indiana Senate's Committee on Pensions and Labor will vote Wednesday on SB 213 that would require state agencies and local governments to use E-Verify to check the worker eligibility of all new hires.

The bill would also require public contractors to certify that all workers are legal workers, would require the use of E-Verify for unemployment applicants and would prohibit sanctuary policies that protect illegal aliens.

If passed, the bill would ensure that new jobs assist that state's unemployed that reached 9.6% in November 2009. It would also save taxpayers money by guaranteeing that unemployment benefits are not paid to illegal aliens.

Indiana State Senator Mike Delph is the bill's sponsor. View a map of states that also require the mandatory use of E-Verify.
http://www.numbersusa.com/content/learn ... -laws.html

http://www.numbersusa.com/content/news/ ... tid=243939

please click on the source link above to find other links within the original

Ind. Senate approves immigration bill
By Mary Beth Schneider
Posted: February 2, 2010

* Comments (6)

A bill to crack down on illegal immigration passed the Indiana Senate today 46-4.

Senate Bill 213, authored by Sen. Mike Delph, R-Carmel, now goes to the House.

Under the bill, state and local governments would not be able to have contracts with companies unless the contractor had verified that employees were legally in the United States.

The bill also would require the Department of Correction and county sheriffs would have to make a reasonable effort to verify the citizenship of offenders.

http://oneoldvet.com/

www.indystar.com