Thread: Government should not facilitate illegal immigration

Government should not facilitate illegal immigration

John J. Benoit
Special to The Desert Sun

Two recent newsworthy stories underscore a disturbing pattern of local governments aiding and abetting the flow of illegal immigrants into our communities.

The city of Laguna Beach recently purchased a parcel in Laguna Canyon from the state Department of Transportation for $18,000 to use as a site for day laborers. The state land was used as a gathering place for illegal immigrants to find work for the past eight years. Laguna Beach had been subsidizing a non-profit organization about $25,000 per year to lease the property, pay monitors who keep work records and fund other operating expenses before outright purchasing the land in July.

Incredibly, just last year, Caltrans appraised the parcel at $1.2 million. As California struggles to close a $15 billion deficit, it's egregious to consider selling state assets for only one-hundredth of their value and to sell them to municipalities that openly flout federal immigration laws.

A more worrisome case is an ordinance in the city of Los Angeles that would require home improvement stores and warehouses to create shelters for day laborers. The ordinance, approved unanimously by the City Council last week, would infringe on companies' private property rights by dictating that they dedicate space for illegal immigrant loiterers. Unbelievably, these businesses would be required to make available drinking water, bathrooms, tables, trash facilities and even provide a security plan through police department.

Laborers for the highest bidders

The city government is in essence setting up auction blocks where the highest bidders can illegally hire day laborers to do difficult, dangerous jobs that do not guarantee minimum wages, health benefits, workers' compensation or safe working conditions.

A report by the Center for Immigration Studies concluded that the estimated illegal immigrant population, which peaked in August 2007, has actually declined by more than 1 million in the past nine months. The report cited a number of reasons that explain this phenomenon: The defeat of amnesty legislation, increased use of E-Verify programs, additional Border Patrol enforcement, and the economic downturn and lack of demand for illegal immigrant workers.

The immutable laws of supply and demand explain why illegal immigrants would travel for hundreds of miles, leaving their home to find work in one of the freest and most prosperous lands, yet leave when the economy dries up.

Some governments produce incentives that work as magnets to encourage more illegal immigration. The cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco, both considered Sanctuary Cities, have policies requiring city employees to not report known illegal aliens.

I have introduced legislation that would have cut off state funding for Sanctuary Cities and applied those funds toward communities that cooperate with immigration authorities, but that was defeated on a party-line vote in the Legislature.

Our government should not facilitate illegal immigration and it certainly should not waste taxpayer dollars on campaigns that support the violation of our laws. We have seen the effects of policies like those in Laguna Beach and Los Angeles. They only encourage illegal immigration. It is time for our cities and the state to work in coordination with the federal government to protect taxpayers, legal immigrants and the citizens of our state by protecting the sovereignty of our border.

Asemblyman John J. Benoit represents the 64th Assembly District, which includes Coachella Valley cities of Bermuda Dunes, Indian Wells, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage and Indio. Reach him through www.assembly.ca.gov/Benoit.
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Any government entity regardless of level, that by passes our constitution, to favor illegals, must be tried, convicted and punished as traitors of the state/country.