Thread: Bills Would Crack Down on Illegal Aliens

Bills would crack down on illegal aliens


By Lindsay Minnema
FOR THE TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, June 20, 2006


Two bills aimed at prohibiting state-paid benefits to illegal immigrants and cracking down on employers who hire illegal immigrants are set to be introduced in the state House today with bipartisan support.
Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-Cranberry, the chief sponsor, said the bills aim to shut off the flow of dollars available to illegal immigrants through publicly funded benefits and private employment.

"The only reason they remain is because it is economically beneficial," Metcalfe said. "If all 50 states were to enact laws that turned off the economic faucets of either public benefits or the flow of dollars through jobs, the 10 million-plus illegals in our country would gladly go home."

The first bill would prohibit all agencies in the state from spending public money on services or benefits provided to illegal immigrants. The legislation is written broadly to include all forms of public spending -- from health care to education, Metcalfe said.

Metcalfe did not cite specific incidents of illegal immigrants receiving public benefits in Pennsylvania.

Emergency medical care and law enforcement activities are exempted from the spending limitation. But agencies providing those services would be required to write invoices listing the cost of services to illegal immigrants -- bills to be sent to the immigrant's nation of origin, according to Metcalfe.

The second piece of legislation makes it a felony for Pennsylvania employers to hire illegal immigrants knowingly. Federal law already prohibits the hiring of illegal aliens, but Metcalfe said enforcement of that law has been weak.

A police raid on a construction site in Northumberland County last week found several illegal immigrants and minors working in violation of federal and state laws, but the workers were not detained because federal immigration authorities were not available to help.

"If the feds aren't going to fine these contractors, the state should be able to," said Rep. Robert Belfanti, a co-sponsor of Metcalfe's bill on employment reform. The raid last week took place in Belfanti's district.

Belfanti, a Democrat representing Columbia, Montour and Northumberland counties, said he has observed many construction companies struggle to compete with businesses that hire illegal immigrants.

"There are a lot of ways to work in this country illegally, and it's not hard to get work papers," Belfanti said. "We need to do what we can to discourage this type of activity and give others -- Americans or legal immigrants -- a fair chance."

Metcalfe said he hopes the legislation will address security issues.

"The problem is that the security of our state and nation is at risk," he said. "We have terrorists that can and have crossed our borders. ... There are a lot of problems with having unsecured borders."

A resolution encouraging President Bush and Congress to bolster efforts to secure the nation's borders against illegal immigrants accompanies the bills

"CHICAGO Mexico's ambassador to the United States says America has the right to debate its own laws on immigration.
But Carlos de Icaza says border enforcement won't be successful without Mexico's participation.

De Icaza told the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations lat night that illegal immigration won't stop if it's treated as a law enforcement issue -- or by fortifying the two-thousand-mile U-S-Mexico border with a fence.

De Icaza admits the heated debate is "emotional." He says progress will only occur if the U-S government expands guest worker programs to allow foreigners enter the country legally and work.

Illegal immigration has become a contentious issue this year in Washington, with both House and Senate bills to deal with the country's estimated eleven (M) million illegal immigrants."

I don't know how the rest of you view these statements by Ambassador De Icaza, but I for one don't like to be threatened.

Originally Posted by ncfm

"CHICAGO Mexico's ambassador to the United States says America has the right to debate its own laws on immigration.
But Carlos de Icaza says border enforcement won't be successful without Mexico's participation.

De Icaza told the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations lat night that illegal immigration won't stop if it's treated as a law enforcement issue -- or by fortifying the two-thousand-mile U-S-Mexico border with a fence.

De Icaza admits the heated debate is "emotional." He says progress will only occur if the U-S government expands guest worker programs to allow foreigners enter the country legally and work.

Illegal immigration has become a contentious issue this year in Washington, with both House and Senate bills to deal with the country's estimated eleven (M) million illegal immigrants."

I don't know how the rest of you view these statements by Ambassador De Icaza, but I for one don't like to be threatened.

Welcome ncfm!

They are worried about losing the billions of dollars a year in revenue that the illegals send back to Mexico. He is just blowing smoke.

Take some time to check out all the other information we have posted here along with our Action Panel.

http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=C ... age&pid=19

"The only reason they remain is because it is economically beneficial," Metcalfe said. "If all 50 states were to enact laws that turned off the economic faucets of either public benefits or the flow of dollars through jobs, the 10 million-plus illegals in our country would gladly go home."

AMEN!

But Carlos de Icaza says border enforcement won't be successful without Mexico's participation

.
Seems to me thay have been participating. They drive them to the border, they give them booklets on how to "fit it" and they provide them with legal services if they get caught. I would say Mexico has participated quite a bit. I think they need to stop participating.