Thread: English-only business law clears Ohio House

middletownjournal.com
English-only business law clears Ohio House
A Senate bill allowing sheriffs to help enforce illegal immigration heads to House, which passed an English language bill.
By By Josh Sweigart
Staff Writer

Saturday, May 31, 2008

HAMILTON — Local minority groups are joining together in opposition to proposed state legislation they say drives a wedge between government and the immigrant community.

In a joint news conference Friday, May 30, the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund and the League of United Latin American Citizens railed against the two bills in the state House and Senate.

The Senate unanimously passed its bill, sponsored by Sen. Gary Cates, R-West Chester Twp. It would allow county sheriffs to assist in enforcing federal immigration laws at the request of federal officials.

Opponents say the bill would distract deputies from their current duties, seed mistrust of law enforcement in immigrant communities and could lead to racial profiling.

"I would prefer just to have the federal people enforcing the law as it is now," said Gary Hines, NAACP director in Butler County.

"These are groups that are engaged in fear-mongering and spreading lies about the bill," Cates said. "We're trying to get a handle on illegal immigration."

The House bill, sponsored by Rep. Bob Mecklenborg, R-Green Twp., requires Ohio government do its business in English — though it allows for exceptions.

Rep. Courtney Combs, R-Hamilton, supported the bill, which made it through the House on a party-line vote.

"I believe we as a community are better off if we can communicate," he said.

Gov. Ted Strickland has said he'll veto Mecklenborg's bill if it gets through the Senate.

www.middletownjournal.com

Here's state Senator Cates' contact info if you want to thank him and see if there is anything to do to help:

http://www.senate.state.oh.us/senators/bios/sd_04.html

Recent related story:

Ohio House debates state immigration bill
Ann Koblenzer
Issue date: 4/25/08 Section: Community

Ohio police departments may soon be more in-line with the nationwide effort to apprehend and hold illegal immigrants.

The Ohio House of Representatives began deliberation on Senate Bill 260 Tuesday. The bill will allow local sheriffs to apprehend and hold illegal immigrants. Currently, the law does not allow sheriffs to do so.

The bill was passed in the Ohio Senate April 16, and originally presented to the Senate by Senator Gary Cates (R-West Chester), according to Cates's spokesperson Sarah Spence.

Butler County Prosecutor Robin Piper and Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones presented the legislation to Cates.

"If (a) federal official called Butler County and said, 'We have been doing an investigation and know person X is an illegal immigrant,' and then ask Butler County to hold the person until an agent can get here, the sheriff can do it," Spence said.

Piper said if the bill passes it will allow for federal and local law enforcement agencies to work together to better enforce immigration laws and lessen the strain on the federal government.

"It makes sense to have them help," Piper said. "Federal officials will be able to rely more on local officials to help them."

According to Jones, there are only 6,000 Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) agents nationally and more than a million local law enforcement agents.

"There just aren't enough federal agents to investigate into every county and sate," Piper said. "It makes sense to allow local law enforcement officials, if trained by the (federal) government, to assist and facilitate."

Piper said as a member of law enforcement, he can't pretend he doesn't care about illegal immigration.

"It's one more tool in the belt of immigration laws," Piper said. "It seems to be the responsible step."

Piper said he hopes this bill discourages illegal immigration and encourages immigrants to legally participate in society.

"We want them to enjoy our society and ways of life and obey our society and rules," Piper said.

Jones said local communities need to be responsible for taking care of themselves and that this is a step in the right direction.

"People in both Republican and Democratic parties are fed up with D.C. anyway-there is not much getting done," Jones said. "We have to do it ourselves here and it's sad. The public has had all they can take."

http://media.www.miamistudent.net

Looks like ALIPAC Activists may need to fight the gov on the issue.

Added to Home Page
http://www.alipac.us/article3238.html

Sent the following to Senator Cates:

"Senator Cates thanks for standing up for United States and Ohio Citizens and against the invasion of the ILLEGALS by supporting Enforcement of Immigration Laws.

Please contiue to work for our citizens!

Oklahoma and Arizona have both implemented bills that enforce immigration laws resulting in ILLEGALS leaving their states and returning to their home country or moving to another state to drain their resources.

Citizens of Arizona, Oklahoma and several other states are losing "their" ILLEGALS who are moving to ILLEGAL "friendly" states.

I only hope that our state politicians will continue to work our citizens, the FEDS refuse to stop the invasion.

Oklahoma's unemployment is DOWN and the lowest in the nation because of Enforcement of Immigration Laws. "

Also will send Rep. Mecklenborg an email to show my support for his Pro-"English" Bill. The governor, Ted Strickland, says he will VETO his bill.

The House bill, sponsored by Rep. Bob Mecklenborg, R-Green Twp., requires Ohio government do its business in English — though it allows for exceptions.

Gov. Ted Strickland has said he'll veto Mecklenborg's bill if it gets through the Senate.

Why is the Naacp going to bat for the illegals when in L.A. and other places illegal aliens are actively doing violence against African Americans because they are African Americans. Why won't they stand united with the Family of Jamiel Shaw and other African American families whose family members have been slaughtered by illegal aliens just for being African Americans. The same with the 4 college kids brutally shot execution style in New Jersey last year by illegal alien gang bangers. Three of them died. It goes on and on and on.....And not one word from the Naacp, Messy Jessy, the reverend Al etc. This is what passes for leadership in the African American community? WEAK!

It looks like Gov. Ted Strickland could use a good "booting" out of office next time the good people of Ohio get the chance.