Thread: Immigration reforms stall as lawmakers gear up for final day

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/n ... 094756.htm

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Posted on Fri, Jul. 21, 2006

Immigration reforms stall as lawmakers gear up for final days

MIKE BAKER
Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. - North Carolina lawmakers have given little attention this session to the state's estimated 400,000 undocumented workers, and their time to make any changes is running short.

Conservative advocates have lobbied the General Assembly in recent weeks for new laws to help identify illegal immigrants, criticizing legislators for considering only a few minor proposals. Of the dozen or so bills, none has passed, and two of the three remaining measures face a long road to approval as lawmakers race to leave Raleigh as early as next week.

One proposal would encourage law enforcement officials to take a photo of drivers who fail to produce identification. Supporters have said unlicensed drivers frequently give false names and information to officers.

Driving without a license is an infraction, and the photos would be attached in court files with that violation. That way, if the driver gave a false name, the actual person could prove in court that they weren't behind the wheel when the infraction occurred, said bill sponsor Rep. Dale Folwell, R-Forsyth. Ideally, police would then be able to track down the true culprit.

Rep. Ronnie Sutton, who headed the committee hearing the bill, noted that it would significantly target the state's population of immigrants, some of whom don't have driver's licenses or other photo identification.

"You're going to have a lot of Hispanics getting their picture taken," said Sutton, D-Robeson.

Because of lingering concerns about profiling, the bill has been on and off the House calendar, amended and weakened.

Officials of El Pueblo, a Raleigh-based advocacy group for Hispanics, and the North Carolina chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union declined to comment about the measure.

Rep. George Cleveland, R-Onslow, wants a bill to require state agencies to identify the legal status of all its new employees. The state university system and other agencies have opposed the measure, saying the process would overburden them.

"Eventually the entire country will be using this system," said Cleveland, blaming the delay on "a Democratic-controlled General Assembly who thinks illegal aliens benefit them."

Conservative advocates such as Bill Graham, who led a fight against the state's gas tax, and William Gheen, president of the Americans for Legal Immigration PAC, have come to the Legislature to lobby for reforms.

"The pressure is building against lawmakers," Gheen said. "Illegal immigration will be the top issue of this election cycle. The Democratic lawmakers that have prevented discussion will face the voters this election."

Folwell's and Cleveland's bills are each scheduled for votes in the House on Monday, but they must still cross over to the Senate, which hasn't yet seen or discussed the measures, before they could become law. Cleveland said the measures are effectively dead.

"What's worse, neither of those bills address the real problems in North Carolina," said Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, expressing concern that illegal aliens could easily get driver's licenses and then register to vote.

Democratic leaders have entirely blocked other Republican proposals to deal with illegal immigration, as conservative legislators sought to strengthen the process of acquiring a drivers license, produce English-only election forms and to bar undocumented residents from receiving social services.

Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand said real reforms are difficult to enforce, citing problems with the federal government.

"If the federal government doesn't cooperate, there's very little we can do," said Rand, D-Cumberland. "The sheriffs call the federal government to say they have someone, and the government doesn't do anything. Or they turn over an illegal immigrant, and that person almost beats them back home."

The closest immigration court is in Atlanta. Rep. Sue Myrick and Mecklenburg County Sheriff Jim Pendergraph announced last week that they would lobby for an immigration court in Charlotte.

The House is scheduled to vote Monday on a resolution supporting Myrick's efforts.

In a third provision, lawmakers are nearing passage of a DWI bill that would urge law enforcement officials to check the legal status of inmates in jail for drunken driving or felony offenses. Legislators are expected to give a final vote on the measure next week.

But even that proposal, Rand said, won't be effective without federal immigration reform.

"If Republicans are so concerned, perhaps they should call up to the Republican-controlled Congress and White House," Rand said. "We're doing everything we can."






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© 2006 AP Wire and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.charlotte.com

Thank You for the article. Special Thanks to William.

Agreed, thanks for the article..

It doesn't do justice to all your efforts, W.

Don't ya just LOVE IT!

I hope Im saying what you folks want said to the world.

W

Absolutely!

Keep it up. You're very eloquent, and are able to sound as if you've studied the issue, and are approaching it from a knowledgeable base, are concerned, yet very professional in your bearing.

It would be difficult for many of us to maintain that public persona...we'd, or maybe I should just speak for myself, here, would get too emotional.

So keep on with your strengths, W. Keep giving our nation's side to the public.

And...THANKS!

added to the homepage

http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=N ... e&sid=1378

Time to send those losers packing their bags. We want immigration laws NOW. Time for new Blood in Raleigh as well as DC.

Mr. Mike Baker (NC Associated Press):

The Charlotte Observer has done an article that mentions 3 of the 4 new immigration enforcement provisions passed into law in NC.

The Raleigh News and Observer did an article that contains 2.

Everyone else in the state that uses print media to get their information is still under the impression...

"Immigration Reforms Stall As Lawmakers Gear Up For Final Days" as you wrote back on July 21.

Could you please update all of those readers and let them know 4 historic provisions passed and that our organization ALIPAC played a strong role in the passage of these new laws?

After all, if it is worth writing about this issue and to notify everyone when the bills were in doubt, is it not also of note to let them know that is no longer the case and that organized citizen pressure on the legislature and lobbying paid off in the end?

Please let me know if you will update the public about the 180 degree turn on this issue. We also need everyone in the state to know that all local law enforcement is now empowered by the state to enforce immigration law, that state employees will be screened but not subcontractors, and that NC now has a law against human trafficking that can be enforced regardless of what the feds decide to do or not.

Your readers still think immigration legislation completely stalled and did not make it.

I look forward to your reply as I am certain you will see the clear logic in my message.

Kind Regards,

William Gheen
ALIPAC

W.

Well said!

After all, if it is worth writing about this issue and to notify everyone when the bills were in doubt, is it not also of note to let them know that is no longer the case and that organized citizen pressure on the legislature and lobbying paid off in the end?

The answer to this question is 'yes'.