Thread: S.C.: Business interests want to halt work on immigration bi

Business interests want to halt work on immigration bill
Chamber of Commerce opposes state legislation

Published: Monday, April 30, 2007 - 7:46 pm


By Tim Smith
STAFF WRITER
tcsmith@greenvillenews.com


What's your view? Click here to add your comment to this story.

COLUMBIA -- Business, tourism, construction and farm officials asked state lawmakers today to suspend work on immigration reform until Congress acts, saying what has been passed so far conflicts with federal law and could cause havoc in the state's economy.

"State-by-state mandates and piecemeal approaches destroy gains in the economy," said Otis Rawl, a vice president for the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce. "Many small businesses already face out-of-control workers' compensation and health-care costs. Adding another state-mandated burden will only move South Carolina backward in raising per-capita income."

But two legislative leaders on the issue said they don't think the state should wait any longer.

"All of us would prefer the federal government secure the borders and address illegal immigration," said Sen. Jim Ritchie, a Spartanburg Republican and chief author of a Senate-passed immigration bill. "However, the state of South Carolina has a legitimate right and duty to act in the face of ever-increasing challenges of illegal immigration."


Ritchie said he was "disappointed" that the Chamber would take a position "to give a competitive advantage to those businesses that break the law versus those who follow the law. I would expect better leadership from our state business community."

Rep. Greg Delleney, chairman of the House committee that will take up Ritchie's bill, said he does not intend to wait on Congress.

"We've been waiting on Congress to do something all of my political life," he said. "So if the Senate has a good idea, we're going to take it up."

Immigration has been a hot issue for lawmakers this year. At least 16 bills have been introduced on the issue, with several having passed either the House or the Senate. Ritchie's bill, called the Illegal Immigration Reform Act, is the most comprehensive of the group.

The bill requires employers doing business with the state or local governments to verify new employees' identities through a federal database program.

It also requires workers to have a South Carolina driver's license, requires agencies to verify the legal status of anyone older than 18 seeking public assistance, creates a felony for anyone harboring an illegal immigrant and requires jail officials to check inmates' status and report any illegal immigrants to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The Chamber has opposed state immigration legislation since the Senate began hearings on the issue last fall.

Business representatives said Monday the federal identification verification program is not reliable and the driver's license requirement conflicts with federal law that allows many forms of identification.

Tom Sponseller, representing the Hospitality Association of South Carolina, said business representatives believe some of what is being considered by state lawmakers is unconstitutional because it conflicts with federal law.

"Courts have consistently held that the regulation of immigrant matters belong at the federal level," he said. "Many parts of our state's No. 1 industry would have to shut down without comprehensive immigration reform."

He and others said South Carolinians do not want and cannot fill the thousands of jobs held by immigrants.

Chalmers Carr, a Ridge Spring peach farmer, said he is required by law to advertise jobs first to Americans. In nine years, he said, 27 Americans applied but only one came back after the first day.

The coalition, which includes the Carolinas Association of General Contractors, the state Farm Bureau Federation, the state Home Builders Association, the Palmetto Agribusiness Council and the Hospitality Association, wants Congress to pass comprehensive reform soon, officials said.

Rawl said members of the state's congressional delegation have told him they expect the issue to be acted on by August.

"A failure by Congress to enact meaningful immigration reform could mean the end of the nation's fresh fruit and vegetable industry," said David Winkles, president of the South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation and a board member of the American Farm Bureau.

http://greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.d ... 3/70430049

Tom Sponseller, representing the Hospitality Association of South Carolina, said business representatives believe some of what is being considered by state lawmakers is unconstitutional because it conflicts with federal law.

But it's ok for YOUR people to BREAK THE LAWS?

I'd say that this guy needs some ACTIVIST PHONE WORK.
What do you guys think?

Wonder where his number is???

Tom Sponseller | President & CEO | Hospitality Association of South Carolina
P.O. Box 7577, 1005 Gervais Street, Columbia, SC 29202
Phone: 803.765.9000 | Fax: 803.252.7136 | www.SCHospitality.org

http://beeradvocate.com/forum/read/970990

He and others said South Carolinians do not want and cannot fill the thousands of jobs held by immigrants.

So, in order to make a quick buck he and others would stand by and watch their American culture destroyed. People of this ilk don't deserve to be voting citizens