Thread: KY: City seeks help with illegal immigrants

City seeks help with illegal immigrants

By Ben Adkins/Sentinel-News Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 21, 2007 10:11 AM EDT

Citing continued problems with illegal immigrants, the Shelbyville City Council members voted last Thursday to send a letter to state congressional delegates, seeking more federal assistance.

Council member Shane Suttor believes some illegal immigrants have become a drain on community services.

"I don't want us to have to raise taxes because someone's using all our resources," he said.

Suttor said the illegal immigration problem is affecting local schools' test scores, and that local law enforcement agents have become bogged down with crimes involving illegal immigrants.

But local government is in a virtual deadlock, he said, because only the federal government is capable of determining a person's residency.

"Federal government has made it a local issue, but they haven't given local governments authority to do anything about it," he said.

Council member Alan Matthews expressed similar concerns about illegal residents.

"All we can do is deal with the local laws that they're breaking," he said. "That's the frustrating part about it, trying to get something accomplished. We're trying to impress that point upon those who can do something to help us."

Both Matthews and Suttor are concerned that crime involving illegal immigrants is not improving.

"As far as I'm concerned, if it's not getting better, it's getting worse," Matthews said.

Suttor noted a small northeastern town's attempt to take matters into its own hands.

Hazleton, Pa. passed an ordinance last year imposing fines on those who hire or rent to illegal immigrants. The ordinance defines "illegal" immigrant in a manner that critics say includes many lawful immigrants and naturalized citizens.

The ordinance also required that city documents, as well as documents from residents to city officials, be written in English unless specifically required by federal or state law.

More than 25 other U.S. cities have passed similar laws, despite the Hazleton ordinance being called unconstitutional.

A federal trial began last week in which the American Civil Liberties Union and other organizations have filed a lawsuit against Hazleton over the ordinance.

And while Suttor isn't suggesting anything nearly as drastic, he says Shelbyville needs additional means to combat the problem.

A step in the right direction, Suttor believes, is additional help from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Currently, Suttor said there is only one ICE agent serving the state's eastern district, which also includes Lexington.

"Right now, I feel that our hands are tied," he said. "We're just asking them to enforce the laws that are already on the books."

http://www.sentinelnews.com/articles/20 ... /news2.txt

This community is in my area. It was great for the farmers for a while. I wondered when I'd hear something about their illegals. A priest up that way recently received a bunch fleeig the NC raids of meat packers. The apartments in Shelby County are packed like sardines already.

They should of fleed even further south to Mexico!

Enforce the laws on the books is right. The Federal government is not doing it's job.

Originally Posted by CCUSA

They should of fleed even further south to Mexico!

Enforce the laws on the books is right. The Federal government is not doing it's job.

I'm trying to bring some law enforcement to bear here. When we get done with the No Amnesty bill focus I'll have more time.

Great Loservillelabor!

They should flee every American town and city!

They should get the message their not welcomed.

It must be so frustrating for these towns, my heart goes out to them.


Maybe a bunch of them should have showed up in Hazelton to testify to the huge problem the illegals are causing.