February 28, 2008
Immigration vote today puts House in spotlight
Backers say bill has bipartisan support to pass
By Dan McFeely
dan.mcfeely@indystar.com
February 28, 2008


State lawmakers are poised to cast a historic vote today on illegal immigration reform, and all eyes -- from small-town voters to big-time lobbyists -- will be on the Indiana House of Representatives.

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Voices in the debate: Hispanic Hoosiers talk about immigration
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"I am very much following this bill. Hopefully, it will pass with some teeth in it," said Phil Stephens, Nineveh, who has written e-mails and letters of support of the legislation.

Immigration reform has never stood as good a chance for passage in Indiana as it does this year.

Supporters say the difference is the legislation's focus on business owners who profit from hiring illegal workers rather than a bill depriving individuals of social services.

Two years ago, a proposal to deprive immigrants of social benefits was defeated 74-19 in the House. Last week, an attempt by House Republicans to insert similar language into this year's bill was defeated.

Rep. Vern Tincher, D-Riley, the House sponsor, predicted the bill would pass the House today with at least 70 votes in favor. Last month, the bill passed 37-11 in the Senate.

If Tincher's prediction is correct, not everyone will be cheering.
"There are two issues which matter to me this Indiana session: immigration and property taxes," said Linda Kelly Hill, a law professor at Indiana University who is opposed to the illegal immigration bill.

"Voting in favor of the immigration bill or against wholesale reform of property taxes will definitely affect how I vote in future elections."
Although tax reform is still the No. 1 issue in this year's General Assembly, the immigration debate has easily risen to No. 2 -- and lawmakers know it.

"Right behind property taxes, cracking down on immigration is at the top of most voters' lists," said House Minority Leader Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis. "For some, it's the most important issue."
Bosma said he plans to vote for the bill.

"This is the only vehicle available for immigration reform to pass the House this year," Bosma said. "While the bill does not go far enough in dealing with benefits denial for illegal immigrants and ending our current catch-and-release program, it is a major step in the right direction.
"I imagine you will see substantial Republican support, despite its shortcomings."

House Speaker B. Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend, has also indicated his support for the bill.

That is what Sen. Mike Delph, R-Carmel, is hoping for.

Delph authored the immigration bill and has been working behind the scenes to put together a coalition of support that now includes many House Democrats.

"The biggest thing about this vote will be the symbolism of having both chambers passing separately strong illegal immigration bills," said Delph.
"The end game is to get a bill to (a House-Senate) conference committee and try to resolve our differences. The people have spoken loudly: They want illegal immigration solved in the state of Indiana."
Public interest high

Last year, an Indianapolis Star-WTHR (Channel 13) opinion poll found that 70 percent of Hoosiers who were questioned oppose any kind of government policy that would allow those in the country illegally to stay or earn their citizenship. Nationally, 82 percent of Americans do not think the government is doing enough to control illegal immigration, according to a 2007 New York Times/CBS poll.

"U.S. taxpayers are tired of their tax dollars supporting illegal immigrants," said Bob Caudell of the Indianapolis-based American Legion, which supports immigration reform at the state and national levels.
"I hope (lawmakers) are listening to their constituents. The property tax issue is very important, but the broader issue of providing sufficient funding for government services is related to the increasing cost to educate, provide health care and incarcerate individuals who are in Indiana illegally."

Today's House vote will be on SB 345, which contains much of the language that was in Delph's SB 335, a bill that technically died in the House but was resurrected in the form of an amendment to SB 345.
Today is the deadline to move all Senate bills out of the House.
Delph's bill would target Indiana employers that hire illegal immigrants, punishing them in a series of three steps that could end with the revocation of a business license. A similar law in Arizona was recently upheld in a federal court as constitutional.

The bill also requires the the Indiana State Police to take the necessary steps to start enforcing federal immigration laws and provides funding to make that happen. It also includes funding for the Indiana attorney general's office, which would investigate written complaints made against employers.

Hispanic leaders have been joined by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and other business lobbyists in warning of dire economic consequences if the bill causes thousands of illegal immigrants to leave the state.

"(We) have discussed our concerns with the author and sponsor of the bill as well as others; however, we are not trying to persuade them to kill the bill," said Rick Wajda, chief executive officer of the Indiana Builders Association.

"In our opinion, we are trying to make the bill better."

While lawmakers are hearing from lobbyists, they are also getting e-mails from voters like Phillip Norris, who mows grass and does landscaping work in his hometown of Loogootee.

"I will be watching the vote closely," said Norris, who proudly says he makes a living "working at a job that President Bush and others say Americans will not do."

Voters like Norris and Stephens in Nineveh say today's vote will have a direct impact on the way they vote in the next election.

"If I find out my legislator voted against it, I in turn will vote accordingly," said Stephens.
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