Foes of illegal immigration find support

Commissioners promise support for residents who want stricter enforcement in Warren County.
By Tiffany Y. Latta

Staff Writer

Sunday, March 11, 2007

LEBANON — — Armed with statistics and news clips showing what they said is the negative effect of illegal immigrants, a group of Warren County residents persuaded more local government leaders last week to fight for stronger enforcement of federal immigration laws.

Many questions about how much the local officials can or should do — including a Warren County commissioner's plan to deny birth certificates to the children of illegal immigrants — remain unanswered, however.

Nonetheless, county commissioners encouraged the residents to continue their pressure on local elected officials.

"Your grassroots effort of forming a citizens' group and getting the support of cities and townships is the right approach," County Commissioner Pat South said. "We'll help lobby state representatives to get the ball rolling and get it done."

Members of Citizens for Legal Communities has been on a mission to curb the influx of people living and working in the county illegally since Kevin Barnhill, 27, was stabbed to death in Mason, allegedly by illegal immigrants.

The residents are asking state and local government officials to pass laws making it illegal to rent to or hire undocumented workers. They've appeared before Springboro City Council and plan to lobby officials in other Warren County communities. County Commissioner Dave Young said the county health department should refuse to issue birth certificates to children born here whose parents are in the United States illegally.

But Bruce McGary, a Warren County assistant prosecutor, said immigration is regulated by the federal government. The county health department has no authority to determine who is an illegal immigrant. Officials could be fined and jailed for denying birth certificates to babies born to illegal immigrants.

McGary also added that laws in other states penalizing landlords and employers who help undocumented workers are being challenged in court.

Still, Young and South vowed to do anything they can to address illegal immigration, including consulting attorneys about challenging birthright citizenship, the practice of automatic citizenship for children born in the United States.

"There's nowhere else in society where we allow an illegal act to result in a benefit for someone else,'' Young said.

Commissioner Michael Kilburn drew applause at a recent meeting when he said he wished Warren County Sheriff Tom Ariss was more like Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones, who obtained federal authority to arrest and detain illegal immigrants.

"Our people are fed up. They want more Richard Jones,'' Kilburn said. "This is a bigger issue than we care. We need a charismatic leader to push this issue. It has to start in Washington, but for the life of me I don't understand what they're thinking.''

http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/conten ... rants.html