N.C.: Questions for Sen. Kay Hagan
Posting only the questions regarding illegal immigration.
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When you ran against Sen. Dole, you got a lot of mileage by portraying yourself as stronger against illegal immigration than she was, saying "Illegal immigration is a threat to national security and our economy. ... The rule of law has been eroded as the number of illegal immigrants in the U.S. nearly doubled and enforcement activity fell." You said that you would "work towards a practical solution that is fair to taxpayers and addresses the problem at its roots: by strengthening the borders, enforcing and upgrading laws that crack down on employers who knowingly hire illegal workers, and eliminating the shadow economy that drives down wages and working conditions." E-Verify, which enables employers to verify the legal status of workers, is the U.S. government's single most effective program against illegal immigration. E-Verify is free to employers and it has an accuracy rate of 99.6 percent. Yet, in a close vote, you voted to table an amendment that would extend E-Verify for another five years and now it could expire in six months. How do you square your words with your actions in regard to illegal immigration, and will you support E-Verify in the future? – Cassandra Dew, Raleigh
I am strong supporter of comprehensive immigration reform, as well as the E-Verify program. The amendment to which you are referring was attached to the Omnibus Bill, which would fund the government through the end of the fiscal year and already included a provision to extend E-Verify for another year. Passing the Omnibus Bill was a necessity, since not doing so could have resulted in a government shutdown. Instead of loading up the bill with amendments which would impede its passage, I would support a stand-alone bill that would further extend the E-Verify system.
Immigration has increased. Do you support a comprehensive immigration reform? Do you support the idea of accepting illegal students to N.C. community colleges, even if they pay as an "out of state"? – Nelson Smith, Durham
I support comprehensive immigration reform and I do not support allowing illegal immigrants into North Carolina colleges and universities.
We need to work toward a practical solution that is fair to taxpayers and addresses the problem at its roots. We must strengthen our borders, enforce and upgrade laws that crack down on employers who knowingly hire illegal workers, and eliminate the shadow economy that drives down wages and working conditions.
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