Thread: La. faces contentious immigration debate, narrow E-Verify

La. faces contentious immigration debate, from narrow E-Verify bills to Ariz.-style reform

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
First Posted: April 30, 2011 - 4:00 am
Last Updated: April 30, 2011 - 4:00 am

BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana lawmakers are bringing the politically divisive immigration debate to Baton Rouge.

Several legislators are proposing to toughen state enforcement laws against illegal immigrants.

Proposals range from a narrow measure to prevent illegal immigrants from being hired on public works projects to a broad package, by Belle Chasse Rep. Ernest Wooton, that mimics Arizona's controversial law, creating new crimes and charging local police with enforcing federal immigration law.

Bill sponsors say they expect to run into opposition from the construction industry and the Catholic church.

The bills come as the population of illegal immigrants is growing in Louisiana. The Pew Hispanic Center says that in 2010 Louisiana had roughly 65,000 illegal immigrants, almost twice the number estimated for 2007.

http://www.dailyjournal.net/view/story/ ... ion-Bills/

The states one by one are going to start passing tougher immigration laws and step up enforcement to remove illegals and also arrest those who are sheltering and employing them