Thread: Ozarks Minutemen Take Fight Against Illegal Workers to Counc

Ozarks Minutemen Take Fight Against Illegal Workers to Councilman
Reported by: Jeremy Stevens
05/08/2007 08:31pm

The debate over illegal immigration could be heading to the municipal level in Springfield. The Ozarks Minutemen group is working to crack down on local businesses that hire illegal aliens.

Tuesday night the group invited City Councilman Doug Burlison to discuss the issue. It’s petitioning for a city ordinance to penalize businesses that employ illegal immigrants. The Minutemen claim they already know of at least a dozen local establishments that hired people without proper documentation.

Councilman Burlison says the real issue lies in the poorly-enforced laws already in place nationally.

He suggested punitive measures of up to $1,000 per illegal employee for city businesses. After two charges, he suggested taking the business’ license.

“I can’t speak for the rest of the city council and don't know that we would be able to pull this off,” he said. “But I think that calling them to task on it and at least putting it out there is going to require people to make a stand one way or the other."

The Springfield City Council hasn’t discussed an ordinance of this type in the past.

Administrators say these types of regulations are typically mandated on the state and federal levels.

http://www.ozarksfirst.com/content/fulltext/?cid=7257

Go get 'em Ozark Minutemen