County won't back Brooks' bill on illegals- 'See Ya' resolut
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County won't back Brooks' bill on illegals
4 Democrats on board vote against 'See Ya' resolution
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
By DAVID HOLDEN
Times Staff Writer dholden@htimes.com
With a 4-to-3 vote Monday, the Democratic majority of the Madison County Commission rejected a resolution calling for a state law to block employment of illegal immigrants.
Commissioner Morris "Mo" Brooks, a Republican and candidate for lieutenant governor, has proposed the Stop Employment of Illegal Aliens Act, which he calls the "See Ya" Act. The bill would make it a felony to knowingly employ illegal immigrants.
Brooks and fellow Republican Commissioners Faye Dyer and Dale Strong voted in favor of the resolution calling for the Legislature to pass Brooks' bill.
Commission Chairman Mike Gillespie and commissioners Bob Harrison, Jerry Craig and Roger Jones, all Democrats, voted against the resolution. They said there has not been enough consideration of the complex problem of illegal immigrants moving into Huntsville and Madison County.
Jones said he is opposed to classifying offending employers as criminals.
"It is an issue that will be decided at a level higher than this commission," Jones said.
Harrison questioned if the commission should be considering the illegal immigrant issue at all. If it does, he said, it shouldn't approach it with a "vigilante" attitude. He proposed forming a task force to examine the issue. "We need to have open dialogue," he said.
Craig said he doesn't believe the problem is so urgent that the commission should vote immediately.
Strong said he supported the resolution because a family of four was killed in his district in a car wreck caused by an unlicensed illegal immigrant.
Gillespie said he would like to see more information before he votes to pass a resolution calling for a law like the one Brooks proposed.
"I would like to see the other side of the story," he said.
Brooks said he was surprised the commission did not pass his resolution but added that the commission will have to do something about illegal immigrants in Madison County.
"It is incumbent on them to come up with a resolution, because we have some problems," he said.
In announcing his bill last week, Brooks referenced the August shooting of Huntsville police officer Daniel Golden by an illegal immigrant, and a number of fatal wrecks caused by illegal immigrants.
In other action Monday, the commission:
Approved the creation of a community supervision officer to work as a liaison between the courts and county jail prisoners. The officer will work in the county's alternative sentencing program located on Wheeler Avenue. The position requires a bachelor's degree in criminal justice or a related field. The $35,000 salary will be paid out of court costs.
Approved an off-premise wine license for Country Foods, 1979 Winchester Road.
Authorized Gillespie to sign an agreement with the City of Huntsville for the county to provide electronic monitoring of juveniles for six months. The county will provide the equipment and the personnel to maintain the service at a cost to the city not to exceed $10,336. The city received the money from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs for the Juvenile Accountability Incentive program for use in the Serious Habitual Offender Comprehensive Action Program.
