Thread: KS: Legislature considers immigration

Just posted immigration part of the article.
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Legislature considers immigration
Posted March 22, 2007, 10:04 a.m.


Here are today’s headlines from Kansas government:

(KC Star) Legislature takes up immigration measures: Five-year-old Kristian Guzman didn't have a visa when he entered the U.S. with his parents. Now he's a Wichita high school student, and he wants to go to college in Kansas. His plans may change if lawmakers pass a bill denying public benefits such as food stamps, Medicaid or in-state college tuition to illegal immigrants. It's one of a slew of efforts to get a handle on the rising tide of immigration into Kansas, legal and illegal.

(Harris News Service) Sides debate voter ID proposal: State officials can't cite occasions when non-citizens have faced prosecution for illegally casting ballots in Kansas elections

http://www2.ljworld.com/blogs/statehous ... migration/

Five-year-old Kristian Guzman didn't have a visa when he entered the U.S. with his parents. Now he's a Wichita high school student, and he wants to go to college in Kansas. His plans may change if lawmakers pass a bill denying public benefits such as food stamps, Medicaid or in-state college tuition to illegal immigrants.

He should consider himself LUCKY that his parents aren't held liable in Court for the cost of his public education to date! Time to head to back to the country of your parents' Citizenship---you had the gift for the past 13 years. Time's up!

Bill denying benefits to illegal immigrants advances
Legislation would also repeal in-state tuition for undocumented residents

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Mar 23, 2007

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) -- Illegal immigrants wouldn't be able to get public assistance such as welfare or unemployment benefits under a bill endorsed Thursday by the House Federal and State Affairs Committee.

The committee reworked the bill to include state sanctions against employers convicted of hiring illegal immigrants. The 11-9 vote sent the bill the chamber for debate.

''When someone comes in seeking a benefit, you have to have documentation to prove you're entitled to the benefit,'' said sponsoring Rep. Lance Kinzer, R-Olathe.

Kansas is one of many states dealing with legislation on illegal immigration. While some criticize such legislation as anti-immigrant, backers say they are responding to demands from constituents to do something about illegal immigration. The Pew Hispanic Center estimates there are up to 70,000 illegal immigrants in Kansas.

The bill requires applicants for social services to provide ''affirmative proof'' that they are U.S. citizens, living permanently in the state or a legal immigrant.

It also repeals a 2004 law allowing illegal immigrants to pay lower, in-state tuition at state universities if they graduated from a Kansas high school and are seeking U.S. citizenship.

Several committee members noted that agencies already verify citizenship under an order signed by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius last year. Also, the idea of revoking the in-state tuition law was rejected several times last year by the House.

''What we have here is a bill that fixes nothing,'' said Rep. Ann Mah, D-Topeka. ''This tuition bill applies to kids who want to stay here and become citizens. We don't want them to be working illegally.''

She said the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services believes requiring proof of citizenship for services could result in delays for those who are entitled to them and that the agency might need more staff to verify documents.

Rep. Nile Dillmore, D-Wichita, amended the bill to prohibit state and local governments from signing contracts with businesses for five years after those businesses are convicted of hiring illegal immigrants. The proposal originally had been part of bill that got little traction during the session.

Mah had attempted to use that same language, along with imposing fines on businesses that hire illegal immigrants. But it failed in part because Kinzer, an attorney, said federal law prohibits states from imposing criminal penalties for those violating immigration laws.

Even so, Rep. Louis Ruiz, D-Kansas City, supported the idea.

''It seems like all we've heard this year is legislation against individuals and families,'' he said.

Chairman Arlen Siegfreid reworked the bill to include language that mirrors federal law, requiring employers to verify a worker is a legal resident by examining documents and filling out a federal form to that effect. It holds employers harmless if they comply with those requirements and can reasonably conclude that a person's documents appear to be authentic.

''This enhances the state's ability to deal with employers acting outside the law,'' Siegfreid said. ''This is a foundation for a process we don't have in state law now.''

But Dillmore called it ''a get-out-of-jail-free card for anyone who wants to hire illegal aliens.''

''All it requires employers to do is look at documents and as long as they appear reasonable on their face, we're giving blanket immunity,'' he said.

Meanwhile, a bill making English the state's official language went to House and Senate negotiators. Sponsoring Rep. Don Myers, R-Derby, said the House wants to know why the Senate removed $500,000 for English classes for adults.

Under the bill, no state or local government agency has to provide documents or hold meetings in any language except English, but nothing prevents them offering documents in another language or using interpreters at meetings.

http://www.arkcity.net/stories/032307/com_0005.shtml