Thread: Coalition to defeat anti-immigration proposals in Texas

2/16/07
Coalition forms to defeat anti-immigration proposals in Texas

Alliance includes Mexican-American groups, businesses

By Michelle West

Members of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus announced on Thursday the formation of a coalition that includes a number of Mexican-American and business groups to combat what they say is an onslaught of anti-immigrant legislation filed this session.

In addition to the caucus, the alliance includes the Texas Association of Business, the Texas Association of Mexican-American Chambers of Commerce, the Texas Employers for Immigration Reform, the League of United Latin American Citizens, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund and the American Civil Liberties Union. Members of the alliance told the media their mission is to keep immigration legislation out of the state and to encourage the federal government to implement fair reform.

"It seems that everyday there's a new bill that's filed in the Texas Legislature that focuses exclusively on immigrants," said Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas. "We want to focus on issues that are within our purview and defer to Washington [on issues within] their jurisdiction."

The group specified a number of immigration bills they called for the Legislature to defeat. Two by Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, that would prohibit children of illegal immigrants from receiving state benefits such as health care, welfare benefits and public education. Another bill the coalition opposes, authored by Rep. Bill Zedler, R-Arlington, would prohibit cities from operating day-labor facilities. Currently, Austin has one such facility and is in the midst of creating another.

An immigration platform promoted and distributed by the caucus and the business association outlined a number of proposals for immigration reform. It calls for legal avenues for immigration to the United States, giving those already immigrated opportunity to become legal, the elimination of immigrant quotas, a guest worker program and national security policies to guard against threats of terrorism.

Another point in the platform, endorsed by Texas Association of Business President Bill Hammond, calls for allowance of immigrants to meet "actual labor demand" of Texas businesses.

"Unless we allow enough legal immigration to meet the needs of the employers, our borders will never be secure," Hammond said.

Earlier in the month, Gov. Rick Perry also called for the U.S. Congress to implement a federal guest-worker program, although he endorsed consequences for businesses employing illegal immigrants.

"Those who hire illegal aliens should face tough penalties," Perry said.

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Texans fought mexico before and won hopeful they can do it again.

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Lawmaker pulls bill for employer sanctions

Web Posted: 02/16/2007 11:14 PM CST

R.G. Ratcliffe
Austin Bureau

AUSTIN — A state lawmaker has withdrawn legislation to impose sanctions on employers who hire undocumented immigrants, saying he wanted to thank the state's largest business organization for joining a Hispanic coalition in fighting what they call "anti-immigrant" bills in the Legislature.
The Texas Association of Business joined the group of Hispanic groups in calling for immigration reform by Congress, not the Texas Legislature.


"The Texas Legislature should take no action with regard to immigration unless and until the U.S. Congress passes a law for comprehensive immigration reform," TAB President Bill Hammond said.

"The federal government is perfectly capable of inflicting pain and suffering on business. We don't believe the Texas Legislature needs to be piling on."

State Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas, said he'd filed House Bill 351 to impose sanctions on employers who hire undocumented immigrants. He said it was "in response" to bills that put sanctions on immigrants.

"As a symbol of our solidarity and cooperation, I'm withdrawing HB 351," Anchia said.

The coalition is opposing a series of GOP bills in the Texas House that would impose fees on money sent to Mexico, deny in-state college tuition to undocumented children and deny birthright citizenship to children born in Texas to undocumented immigrants.

"Texas should not pass blatantly unconstitutional legislation that will only push immigrants farther into the shadows," said Luis Figueroa of the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

State Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, author of the birthright legislation, said he is disappointed that the TAB has injected itself into the fight. He said the only issue that TAB should have concerned itself with was employer sanctions.

Berman said Hispanics who are U.S. citizens should be concerned that undocumented immigrants may be improperly obtaining citizenship for children.

House Speaker Tom Craddick said this week that state Attorney General Greg Abbott has been asked to review all the immigration legislation.

The coalition includes Texas Employers for Immigration Reform, the Mexican-American Legislative Caucus, the Texas Association of Mexican-American Chambers of Commerce, the League of United Latin American Citizens, MALDEF and the American Civil Liberties Union.