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Published Sunday, December 17, 2006

Immigration - Sebelius: While feds debate, Kansas acts

By Gov. Kathleen Sebelius
Special to The Capital-Journal
Over the past few years, the issue of illegal immigration has moved from purely a concern for the federal government to an issue being discussed at the state and local level, as well.

Some of these discussions were productive, but too often side issues and straw men were used to cheapen the debate. It's time for the shrill rhetoric on this issue to end and for there to be a real effort to address the crisis of illegal immigration in an effective manner that reflects the values of America.

There is no question illegal immigration was largely ignored by the federal government for many years, and even when Congress did address the issue, the proposed fixes did little to stem the tide.

Indeed, eight governors have joined together to call on the federal government to reimburse states for the nearly $1 billion states have spent incarcerating illegal immigrants. This was promised, but that promise hasn't been kept.

Federal inaction has left it up to the states to act, and we've done that here in Kansas. The primary way we've sought to ensure our laws are respected is to make sure they're enforced.

Last year, the Kansas Department of Labor and the Kansas Department of Revenue joined together to enforce the state's prohibition on misclassifying employees as "independent contractors," which is a common way for violators to fly under the radar. This effort is paying off after just nine months, with 119 employers to date being cited for misclassifying workers.

The logical continuation of this initiative would be to increase penalties for businesses that knowingly hire illegal workers, which is a proposal previously rejected by the Legislature, but one I hope will pass this year.

Finally, Kansas is continuing to support efforts to secure the nation's borders. At my direction, Kansas National Guard members have assisted the federal government in border security missions, as well as constructing roads and fences along the border to help the border patrol better do its job.

One state can't secure the border alone, which is why, as Kansas takes steps to address the challenge here, we'll continue to encourage the federal government to step up and do its part.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, a Democrat, will begin her second term in January.