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02-09-2007, 06:59 PM #1
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Miss. to Verify Worker Status Under Bill
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070209/immigran ... .html?.v=1
AP
Miss. to Verify Worker Status Under Bill
Friday February 9, 5:31 pm ET
By Emily Wagster Pettus, Associated Press Writer
Bill Aims for Mississippi Businesses to Verify Workers' Status
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) -- Businesses would have to verify that their employees are either U.S. citizens or are in the country legally, under a bill the Mississippi House passed Friday.
The proposal sparked more than an hour of heated debate between supporters who said they're trying to safeguard American jobs and opponents who said the plan unfairly singles out certain groups, particularly Hispanics.
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Rep. Willie Bailey, D-Greenville, said some lawmakers were backing the bill only to pander to voters back home this election year.
"There are people supporting this bill because they're scared they're not getting back here," Bailey said. "You need to go home because you have no guts. You have no glory."
The chief sponsor of the bill, Rep. Mike Lott, R-Petal, responded that he's not trying to stir up anti-immigrant sentiment.
"I'm doing this not because I'm fearful of a race of people," Lott said.
The bill -- which still must go to the Senate -- is called the "Mississippi Employment Protection Act." It says: "Employers in the state of Mississippi shall only hire employees who are legal citizens of the United States of America or legal aliens."
It says companies that fail to comply could have their public work contracts canceled and could be ineligible for any public contracts for three years; could lose any state licenses or certificates for a year; could be fined up to $1,000; or a combination of the penalties.
"We're not here to hurt anybody who's trying to obey the law," Lott said.
Rep. Ed Blackmon, D-Canton, reminded the House that back in the 1920s, the federal government set limits on certain groups of immigrants who then were considered "undesirables," and some of those immigrants might be forebears of people now in the Legislature.
Blackmon said Lott's proposal is unenforceable.
"This is a piece of feel-good legislation for people who want to say, 'We socked it to those illegal immigrants' without saying, 'We're socking it to you,'" Blackmon said.
Rep. Deryk Parker, D-Lucedale, argued for the bill, challenging the assertion that illegal immigrants are taking jobs Americans don't want. Parker also incorporated a seemingly unrelated argument against abortion.
"How many babies have we aborted in the last few years?" Parker said. "They could be filling those jobs."Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)
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02-09-2007, 07:38 PM #2
Miss is doing the right thing
Employers should be required to check the status of employees. Once a notice comes back that a social security number has problems, then the employer should required verification.
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02-09-2007, 07:50 PM #3
Re: Miss. to Verify Worker Status Under Bill
Originally Posted by had_enuf
Now do you get it, Liberal Journalist?
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02-15-2007, 01:46 AM #4
http://www.wlbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=6089008&nav=2CSf
Illegal Alien Bill Called "Racist"
Feb 14, 2007
By Wendy Suares
wsuares@wlbt.net
A bill aimed at keeping illegal aliens out of Mississippi is working its way through the state legislature. It requires businesses verify their employees are here legally.
Mexican immigrant Angel Palsencia works as a waiter to support his family on the Gulf Coast. He worries that could all change if businesses are forced to check employees' legal status.
"I've lived in Mississippi for 7 years, and to make that bill into law, it would stop the future of me and my family," Palsencia said.
Members of the immigrant rights group, MIRA, are trying to kill the bill that has passed the House and is now before the Senate Labor Committee.
"I think it's a really racist bill and an attempt to get people of color out of Mississippi," said MIRA organizing coordinator Victoria Cintra.
"We do have a problem, and we need to do the right thing," said Senator Richard White, who serves on the labor committee and is studying the proposal. He says small business owners are asking for tools provided in the bill.
"I think you're seeing employers taking a look at their employees and trying to make a decision whether they're here legally or not," he said.
Opponents say immigration legislation is best left up to Congress. They question how local law enforcement could even enforce such a law. The bill sets penalties for businesses that fail to comply. They could be fined up to a thousand dollars and lose state licenses and any public work contracts.
But MIRA members say it's the workers, not the businesses, who would pay the price. "The employees are the ones that suffer," said Cintra. "They end up getting deported and not getting their pay."
MIRA wants to remind lawmakers it was immigrants who did the brunt of recovery work after Katrina, and says they were forced here because of unfair trade agreements, like NAFTA.
Many lawmakers will be looking to take a hard stand on illegal immigration, as many campaign for reelection.
Senate Labor Committee Chairman Terry Brown says he hasn't received the bill yet, but when he does, he will schedule a hearing to discuss the issue.Support our FIGHT AGAINST illegal immigration & Amnesty by joining our E-mail Alerts at https://eepurl.com/cktGTn
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02-15-2007, 02:25 AM #5Businesses would have to verify that their employees are either U.S. citizens or are in the country legally, under a bill the Mississippi House passed Friday."The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing" ** Edmund Burke**
Support our FIGHT AGAINST illegal immigration & Amnesty by joining our E-mail Alerts athttps://eepurl.com/cktGTn
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02-15-2007, 02:34 AM #6Originally Posted by MW
I'm with you "MW" I am completely,BAFFLED.!!!!
Why is it so difficult just to enforce our existing laws?Please support ALIPAC's fight to save American Jobs & Lives from illegal immigration by joining our free Activists E-Mail Alerts (CLICK HERE)
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02-15-2007, 07:35 PM #7
Waah! Waah! Waah! Get out the crying towels. It's amazing all the lame excuses and accusations the opposition comes up with when this bill should be a no brainer for our elected officials.
<div>Thank you Governor Brewer!</div>
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02-15-2007, 08:09 PM #8Rep. Willie Bailey, D-Greenville, said some lawmakers were backing the bill only to pander to voters back home this election year.
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02-15-2007, 09:08 PM #9
It's about time these guys started pandering to voters, they're the ones that pay their dam salaries!
<div>Thank you Governor Brewer!</div>
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02-15-2007, 09:40 PM #10Originally Posted by SOSADFORUS
Arizona GOP pushing tough, new border policies, but faces strong...
05-05-2024, 10:24 AM in illegal immigration News Stories & Reports