Thread: S.C.: County says immigration-business audits going smoothly

County says immigration-business audits going smoothly
By MICHAEL WELLES SHAPIRO
Published Sunday, April 13, 2008

Enforcement of a Beaufort County ordinance designed to discourage the hiring of illegal immigrants is going smoothly, according to a private firm hired to audit area businesses.

Hilton Head Island-based Advance Point Global has conducted between 20 and 30 audits so far, said company president Andrew Patrick. Patrick and his employees are looking at federally required immigration documents called I-9s and gross receipts as part of the audit program, still in its infancy.

County administrator Gary Kubic said the county wants to audit 473 of the roughly 4,300 businesses licensed to operate in unincorporated parts of the county in the program's first year. Kubic has said the county's long-term goal is to audit 25 percent of such businesses.

For now, Patrick said he hopes to get through the first 98 businesses -- to be selected randomly for audit by the county -- by the end of April.

"Our experience has been only positive," Patrick said after the first full week of audits. "The reception we've received from the ... businesses has been very positive."

Kubic, during a taping of a series ofWHHI's "Talk of the Town" on Friday, said he hoped that a successful audit here convinces area municipalities to adopt a similar program. Currently businesses that conduct business strictly within municipal boundaries are not subject to the county audits.

"It would help," Kubic said, "if Hilton Head, the City of Beaufort, Bluffton and Port Royal would join forces with us and cooperate. Maybe when they see the program and truly understand it, maybe it's something they would reconsider."

County residents and politicians also are watching in the legislature, where a statewide immigration bill could limit the county's ability to carry out its audits.

State legislators have been negotiating an immigration bill in conference committee which could have language, pushed by the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, that would supersede local immigration measures.

"Talk of theTown," which airs Monday through Friday at 8 p.m. will offer a three-part series on the issue next week.

http://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/ ... 04829.html

Added to Homepage:
http://www.alipac.us/article-3098--0-0.html

So then, the Chambers of Commerce lobbies seem to be running block for the illegals and their employers again. Profits before Patriotism is Treason.