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Published Sunday, December 17, 2006

Immigration - Journey: Parties face competing demands
By State Sen. Phil Journey
Special to The Capital-Journal

In 2006, Kansas voters in particular saw the immigration issue raised time and time again in campaigns on both the federal and state levels. This issue is unique in that it puts both Republicans and Democrats on the horns of a dilemma.

For Republicans, business interests seek lower labor costs to increase profits and many businesses, including a manufacturer in Wichita, have gone so far as to aid illegal aliens in the fabrication of false identities.

Simultaneously, a significant portion of the Republican base seeks zero tolerance enforcement and secured borders for the United States. Democrats believe many of these new immigrants if permitted to become U.S. citizens would support their agenda and their candidates, while the Democratic base, particularly labor unions and blue-collar Kansans, see the competition in the labor market caused by illegal aliens willing to work for less.

The drain on the state's economy and government is well documented; hundreds of millions of dollars are spent annually providing free public education, medical care, emergency assistance and other government services for illegal aliens in Kansas. When an illegal alien works as an "independent contractor" and is paid under the table, the employer cheats by not having to pay Social Security tax, workers' compensation insurance and unemployment tax. The illegal alien, out of fear of discovery, fails to file federal or state income tax forms as well. Federal government enforcement of employer sanctions has been all but nonexistent. Many states, including Arizona, Colorado and Georgia, have begun devising answers at their level of government.

Like other issues, the principles of economics can bring guidance to help reduce the problem in the state of Kansas. Reducing demand for illegal aliens can be accomplished by sanctions imposed on employers who knowingly employ illegal aliens. Those sanctions include such measures as prohibiting businesses from doing business with the state of Kansas if they fail to certify that all of their employees are able to legally accept employment, and eliminating the state tax deduction for wages or payments made to illegal aliens as employees or "independent contractors."

The supply side can be reduced by prohibiting judges from granting probation for illegal aliens (after all they can't reside in the United States and not violate the laws of the United States), by requiring law enforcement to detain illegal aliens caught in the commission of a crime, and by requiring high bonds for those charged with crimes due to their flight risk, as we do for gang members.

Further restrictions upon the government's ability to dispense aid to illegal aliens through the welfare system would deter illegal alien residency in Kansas along with these other measures.

Immigration issues will perplex many politicians due to the complexity of the federal law and the competing demands of the dilemma Democrats and Republicans alike are faced with. But it is an issue on which voters demand progress be made.

Sen. Phil Journey, a Republican from Haysville, represents the 26th District.