Thread: Gov. Napolitano: states may not cooperate with imm enforceme

Published: 08.10.2007

Gov. Napolitano says states may not be able to fully cooperate with immigration enforcement proposal
By Howard Fischer
CAPITOL MEDIA SERVICES
PHOENIX - Part of the immigration enforcement proposal unveiled Friday by President Bush would require the cooperation of the state - cooperation it may not be able to provide.
Bush wants states to share driver license photos and records with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The idea is to help employers, required to check the identification of job applicants, spot fraudulent licenses.
Gov. Janet Napolitano, who first heard of the plan Friday afternoon, chided the administration for making the suggestion without bothering to consult with states. And Napolitano said there are a host of questions that remain.
"Can we do it legally?" she asked. "Do the computer systems match? When? Who pays? All of the questions any logical person would have, none of that has been briefed to the states.''
The president's immigration does appear to share something in common with a new state law: a focus on going after companies whose workers' social security numbers don't match government records.
HB 2779, set to take effect in January, requires all Arizona employers to check the identity of new employees through what is known as the "Basic Pilot Program.'' That federal database include a comparison of the name and social security number provided, along with a check of other government records to see if someone is authorized to work in this country.
If there is not a match, the employer - who is liked to the system via the Internet - is given instantaneous notice.
At that point the worker is given a chance to clear up the discrepancy. Some may be caused by changes in name while there sometimes are simply errors in typing in the information.
But if the problem cannot be resolved, the employer essentially is put on notice that the worker is not a legal U.S. resident.
The president's proposal would require a company which cannot clear up the problem to fire the worker or risk fines.
There is no such requirement in the new state law. In fact, there is no punishment for companies that do not use the Basic Pilot Program.
The legal risk is on the back end: If an investigation finds an undocumented worker, the firm could face charges of knowingly hiring someone not entitled to work in this country. A first offense could lead to a 10-day suspension of any state licenses; a subsequent conviction within three years results in loss of legal ability to do business in Arizona.
But the law also spells out that if a company has used the Basic Pilot Program it is entitled to a presumption of innocence in any trial, even if it turns out that the worker is undocumented.
The state law is set to take effect Jan 1. However several business groups and individual companies have filed suit in federal court to have the law voided as an unconstitutional infringement by the state on the federal power to regulate immigration.
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/printDS/195868

Sounds like she is not willing to do her part. She is still playing politics in trying to get the Hispanic vote. She was the one who held up the Arizona bill to stop illegals from receiving taxpayer funded services.

Here we go again.

http://www.niseifarmersleague.com/index.htm

The above are some folks to call. They are a major force in pressing the WH to take care of illegals.

One minute she saying she needs help with these illegals on a Federal level, and when the Feds offer some sort of a reasonable soultion, she is still whining and crying that it can't be done