Thread: Collier Co FL ---Must be Legal to Qualify

Collier: Aid for legal U.S. residents only
Commissioners decree legal residency must be proved to qualify for tax-supported job, benefits

By Janine Zeitlin

Sunday, July 30, 2006

A simmering national debate over immigration has boiled into Collier County law.

County commissioners have revised laws to require legal U.S. residency to get jobs and take part in an affordable housing program bolstered by county tax dollars.

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2006/jul ... local_news

Elected leaders have clarified that only legal residents could fill jobs created through county economic incentive programs, and only permanent legal residents or U.S. citizens could reap the thousands in savings the county offers to moderate- or very low-income people constructing new homes.

Commissioner Fred Coyle said the county is taking stronger action to step up efforts to verify legal residency where federal enforcement is lackluster.

“Most of us tended to tolerate the situation, but as we see potentially adverse impacts in costs of social services and medical care, we get more interested in making decisions on the local level,” Coyle said. “If the federal government is not going to provide appropriate protection for communities, it’s up to local governments to take action on our own.”

County officials will begin verifying immigration status and papers of people applying to both programs, although those checks should be happening at federal levels. Leaders say they want to add an extra step.

Immigrant advocates say county officials lack that kind of expertise.

“This is a pretty huge task. I don’t understand why local municipalities that are so stretched in resources want to take on something that is federal law and be redundant with something that can be very complex and cumbersome,” said Maria Rodriguez, executive director of Florida Immigrant Coalition, which represents 62 advocacy groups across the state.

“It’s really ludicrous and naive to think that (county) employees can do better enforcement,” she said.

The county will join other communities taking local action while national measures to deal with the estimated 12 million undocumented people living in this country have stalled. The debate continues to polarize the country.

Avon Park, a speck of a Central Florida farming town, rocketed into the spotlight when city leaders proposed the “Illegal Immigration Relief Act” meant to stop illegal immigrants from living and working in the town and make English the town’s official language.

The proposal was denied in a close vote Monday after hundreds of people showed up for a heated debate, including those organized by the coalition led by Rodriguez. But the mayor has told reporters he still wants to get rid of illegal immigrants in the town.

Collier’s changes are far less sweeping than those proposed in Avon Park, but elected leaders still hope to send a message to illegal immigrants: You’re not welcome to county tax dollars.

“I think it’s in the uppermost of all our minds right now, and we’re also realizing that hiring illegals keeps the wages low for the rest of our employees in Collier County, which then causes a more difficult housing crisis than what we’re already dealing with, and it’s a tremendous strain on the taxpayers and the social service agencies,” Commissioner Donna Fiala said. “I think that’s a really good reason to go further.”

About 15 companies have been approved for Collier County’s economic incentive programs since November 2003, county officials said, while 130 homes have been approved for savings of up to $35,000 shorn off construction costs since that program started in December 2005.

County officials haven’t heard reports of illegal immigrants using either program, but commissioners want more checks in place, especially since illegal immigrants could use fraudulent documents.

County government now will require that people submit a U.S. passport, birth certificate or naturalization certificate to be eligible for affordable housing savings.

“They can produce easily a Social Security card or green card because 10 other people have the same ones. ... They’re very easy to obtain but they’re not legal,” Fiala said, when discussing additional requirements at this past Tuesday’s commission meeting.

If legal residents apply for the affordable housing savings, county officials said they will review the documents and present them to the commission to make sure the documents are acceptable.

Jeffrey Klatzkow, assistant county attorney, originally tied revisions to federal standards for fear of provoking civil liberty groups.

“... A civil liberties group might take umbrage with our trying to parse out who is here legally and who is here illegally,” Klatzkow said Tuesday. “I do understand the concern that (federal immigration) tends to be a little loosey-goosey about this.”

Coyle responded: “I’m not concerned about civil liberties, quite frankly. This is our program. We are allocating our taxpayer dollars to support this program. If somebody doesn’t like it — tough.”

Klatzkow said the commission is on strong legal grounds but the county could face a challenge from immigrant advocates, given the national climate.

“I’m not concerned, because the board stated its willingness to fight the good fight on this one ultimately,” he said. “There are a lot of immigration groups that are trying to advocate for their clients as best they can.”

Coyle and Fiala, who were most vocal on the issue during Tuesday’s meeting, said they may look into further local action relating to illegal immigrants if research shows it’s needed. Coyle said he would favor fining companies or denying contracts to businesses that employ undocumented workers if research shows a problem.

Gloria Hernandez, an Immokalee organizer for Inmigrantes Unidos for Freedom, said the county is realizing the “el gigante despertó” (the giant wake-up), referring to the numbers of illegal immigrants here.

Her organization was formed in the wake of spring marches and strikes calling for legalization of illegal workers. Hernandez counts 100 members in Lee and Collier counties and sent three vans of people to protest the Avon Park measure and is ready for any future Collier proposals.

She said Collier changes don’t get to the root of the issue.

“My question is: What they are going to do with us in the future? The people are not going to walk back to their countries,” she said. “We are preparing in other areas in case we need it here.”

Mike Reagan, president of The Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce, said most Collier employers check whether their employees are legally in the country, so the county requirement for businesses who reap economic incentives to do so is not a burden.

“I’m not aware of any company that knowingly, purposely violates the law. There are saints and sinners throughout the community, but the vast majority are trying to do the right thing,” Reagan said.

Ernesto Labrador, chairman of the county’s Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board, the group that makes recommendations to the commission, lauded county leaders for taking a stand.

“Those people outside of the law shouldn’t reap the benefits of the system,” he said, adding that community groups should reach out to illegal immigrants instead. “In the past, the local government has turned a blind eye to the problem. It is somewhat positive that they are taking a stance on the issue and recognizing there is an issue.”

“This is a pretty huge task. I don’t understand why local municipalities that are so stretched in resources want to take on something that is federal law and be redundant with something that can be very complex and cumbersome,” said Maria Rodriguez, executive director of Florida Immigrant Coalition, which represents 62 advocacy groups across the state.

Weeellll, Ms. Rodriguez, it would be such a HUGE task if we didn't have a HUGE problem in that area, would it?

“It’s really ludicrous and naive to think that (county) employees can do better enforcement,” she said.

County employees are equipped to do a better job . . . much better. . . because they're not bogged down by the same pile of bureaucracy that bogs down the federal government.

It's called "lean and mean", lady.

“My question is: What they are going to do with us in the future? The people are not going to walk back to their countries,” she said.

Maybe ICE would be able to provide transportation back to their homes.

Coyle responded: “I’m not concerned about civil liberties, quite frankly. This is our program. We are allocating our taxpayer dollars to support this program. If somebody doesn’t like it — tough.”

Its good to see more people with backbones willing to stand up to all the stupid groups who are claiming illegal immigrants' civil rights being violated.