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  1. #1
    Senior Member MopheadBlue's Avatar
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    Louisiana Senate approves immigration bill

    http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbc ... 90325/1002

    Bill wants workers registered
    June 9, 2006
    By Mike Hasten
    mhasten@gannett.com

    BATON ROUGE -- Louisiana welcomes the help of out-of-state laborers in rebuilding the storm-ravaged areas of the state, legislators said Thursday, but they want them to be legally in the state.

    Over objections that requiring employers to hire only legal immigrants would slow down the hurricane recovery efforts, the House Labor and Industrial Affairs Committee approved SB 783 by Sen. Don Cravins, D-Opelousas.

    "Nobody's trying to close the border," Cravins told the committee. We're simply saying we want to know who you are."

    Cravins said his bill making it illegal to hire illegal immigrants shouldn't slow down recovery efforts because federal law already requires the deportation of anyone reported to the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) as illegally being in the country.

    "People who have holes in their roofs don't care who gets up there and fixes them," said Rep. Steve Scalise, R-Metairie. "I don't think the D.A. in New Orleans is going to shut anybody down."

    "If it weren't for Hispanic workers in New Orleans now, we wouldn't be where we are in recovery," said Rep. Juan LaFonta, D-New Orleans. "In the state of Louisiana, we do not have enough workers to rebuild New Orleans in five years."

    "It doesn't just deal with Hispanics," Cravins said. "It deals with all people who come to work here. It's a national security issue. All the bill seeks to address is for people to follow the process. Get documents and give them to your employer."

    Opponents questioned whether it is fair to impose a fine of up to $10,000 on an employer who violated the new law.

    Rep. Don Cravins Jr., D-Opelousas, who is handling his father's bill in the House, said the only time an employer is subject to a penalty is if he doesn't take care of a problem when it is brought to his attention. The first offence carries only a warning.

    Sen. Cravins said some Louisiana residents have been turned away from jobs because employers could hire undocumented workers for less.
    "If we cut the demand" for illegal immigrants at job sites "it would stem the flow of people running across the border for jobs," he said.

    The bill now goes to the House floor for debate. The Senate already has approved the bill

  2. #2
    Senior Member MopheadBlue's Avatar
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    http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/politi ... ?showAll=y

    Illegal worker reduction advances
    Employers would face fines of up to $10,000

    By WILL SENTELL
    Capitol news bureau
    Published: Jun 9, 2006

    Employers who hire undocumented workers would face fines of up to $10,000 under a Senate-passed bill that cleared a House committee on Thursday.

    The proposal, Senate Bill 753, passed the House Labor Committee 7-4. It next faces action in the full House.

    State law already bans employers from hiring workers who are illegally living or working in the United States. The legislation would spell out procedures and penalties for such cases.

    “You shouldn’t be able to run across the border and go to work with no documentation at all,” said Sen. Don Cravins, D-Arnaudville, sponsor of the bill.

    Cravins also dismissed arguments that the bill could hamper rebuilding efforts in the New Orleans area and southwest Louisiana, both popular spots for Hispanic workers after last year’s storms.

    “It’s not about slowing the process in New Orleans or Cameron,” Cravins told the committee. “But there is a process, and the process has to be followed.”

    Under the bill, employers would have to maintain documents that show workers meet eligibility rules required by a federal immigration law.

    Employers found to have knowingly hired illegal workers would be subject to orders to stop the practice. If they fail to do so — essentially a second chance — they would be subject to fines of up to $10,000.

    Louis Reine, president of the AFL-CIO, said his group backs the bill.

    Reine said employers often hire large groups of undocumented workers.

    In some cases, he said, workers set to be paid every 14 days are turned in by employers after 13 days to avoid payments.

    In an issue that could spark debate on the House floor, lawmakers from hurricane-stricken parishes said they had reservations about what the bill could mean to the state’s labor force in those areas.

    Rep. Ronnie Johns, R-Sulphur, said while he opposes the employment of illegal aliens, Hispanic workers have played a huge role in rebuilding southwest Louisiana since Hurricane Rita.

    If not for those workers, Johns said, “Our rebuilding process would be months and months and months behind.”

    Rep. Juan LaFonta, D-New Orleans, said he had the same concerns for southeast Louisiana.

    “If it weren’t for the workers we have in New Orleans, we wouldn’t have the progress we have had,” LaFonta said. “We can’t do legislation that cripples our workforce.”

    Rep. Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, said residents in his area are more concerned about finding workers to repair their roofs than where those workers came from.

    Scalise also argued that the legislation would unfairly punish employers who hire workers illegally instead of workers who are in the country illegally.

    “Let’s deport the person who is here illegally,” he said. Scalise’s amendment to do that failed with five in favor and six opposed.

    Voting for the bill were Reps. Austin Badon, D-New Orleans; Elcie Guillory, D-Lake Charles; Ronnie Johns, R-Sulphur; Juan LaFonta, D-New Orleans; Ken Odinet, D-Arabi; Monica Walker, D-Hessmer and Willie Hunter, D-Monroe.

    Opposed were Reps. Shirley Bowler, R-River Ridge; Loulan Pitre, R-Cut Off; Tank Powell, R-Ponchatoula and Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson.

  3. #3
    hope2006's Avatar
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    Interesting , so while Mexicans are building New Orleans ,we are building the fence on the border . Everybody is working hard . I am sure , that if the borders were properly protected , Americans would come and do the work without Mexicans . Borders first , then everything else .
    " Do not compromise yourself . You are all you've got ." -Janice Joplin .

  4. #4
    Senior Member Dixie's Avatar
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    We have hosted many Katrina refugees and they wanted to go home and get a job in LA but they found a lot of the jobs were given go Mexican citizens. They were very conflicted. First they were pushed out by a storm and now they are being replaced by Mexican nationals. Really dashes your hopes of going home.

    Dixie
    Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)

  5. #5
    Senior Member steelerbabe's Avatar
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    Let's see how well those houses are built with illegals. Remember, Americans went to New Orleans after Katrina and were told to go home, the Mexicans have arrived

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