Thread: NJ: Immigration crackdown

Immigration crackdown
Bill targets businesses that hire illegal workers
Sunday, February 17, 2008
By Trish G. Graber
The Express-Times

TRENTON | A top state Democrat plans to introduce legislation that would penalize New Jersey businesses that knowingly hire illegal immigrants.

Senate Majority Leader Stephen Sweeney said his proposal is aimed at companies that provide opportunities for illegal immigrants to "undermine family, educational and health care support systems."

"Companies that knowingly hire illegals are destroying job opportunities for the working men and women of New Jersey," said Sweeney, D-Gloucester. "The practice has to be stopped."

The law would require New Jersey businesses to verify the legal status of their employees. Businesses in violation of the law would face a 10-day suspension of their business license for the first offense and permanent revocation for the second.

If passed, New Jersey would become the second state in the nation behind Arizona to enact this type of legislation.

A U.S. District Court judge recently upheld the Arizona law, rejecting claims that it assumed the federal government's right to regulate immigration.

Immigration advocates, however, said Friday that enacting an authorization system in New Jersey would be a mistake. They said it would only penalize illegal immigrants.

"It's taking us down a really dangerous path in creating deep division in our communities," said Amy Gottlieb, director of the Immigrant Rights Program at the Newark-based American Friends Service Committee. "It always comes back to the need for immigration reform at the federal level."

Shai Goldstein, New Jersey Immigration Policy Network executive director, said he would welcome a debate about policy issues with Sweeney but declined comment on the proposal without seeing the legislation.

"There's also a blue ribbon panel that Gov. (Jon) Corzine has and I would trust that (it) would also review the bill," Goldstein said.

Corzine formed the panel last year to make recommendations for integrating illegal immigrants.

Nineteen states enacted 33 immigration-related employment laws in 2007, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Some of those disallow tax deductions for unauthorized workers. Others disallow workers compensation and unemployment insurance for illegal immigrants.

Sweeney said his proposal is not directed at illegal immigrants, but employers who circumvent the system.

"They're cheating the system and driving the cost up for everywhere else," he said.

The legislation is expected to be introduced this week with the intent for it to take effect by year's end.

Trish Graber is Trenton correspondent for The Express-Times. She can be reached at 609-292-5154.
http://www.nj.com:80/news/expresstimes/ ... xml&coll=2

Thats a bold move for such a liberal state, and presented by a Democrat no less. The pressure must be mounting as the tax liabilities for the citizens there are enormous. Sweeney must be taking alot of heat. If the heat gets hot enough, could N.J. turn red?

Normally, as a Brooklynite, I have few good things to say about Jersey but DAMN they got this one RIGHT! Now it just needs to be passed.

I'm glad there are still some sensible Democrats in NJ -- who at least acknowledge the devastating impacts that illegals have on our society, and working men and women.

Now if only the Obamas and Villariagosas would put aside their crass political ambitions and start acknowledging this reality. I won't hold my breath.

Do you suppose being an election year had anything to do with the Dems seeing the light ?

If this can happen in N.J. it can happen anywhere.