Should Voters Decide New Immigration Reform?
Reported by: Scott Wegener
Email: swegener@wcpo.com
Photographed By: Scott Wegener
Last Update: 7:39 pm

Immigration Reform Debate Comes To Tri-State


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Two local politicians think voters should decide if police officers can ask for proof that you're in the country legally.

The latest round in the debate in Ohio over immigration reform began in Arizona.

Ohio State Representative Courtney Combs wants to bring Ohio law enforcement some new authority. "If you are legally stopped for some violation," he says, "a traffic violation, suspicion of any type of crime, that a law enforcement officer ought to have the right to ask if you are here legally."

It hasn't gone anywhere.

But he believes Ohio Governor Ted Strickland will veto any immigration legislation anyway. "If the governor is going to turn his back on illegal immigrants, we're going to take it head on," says Combs.

So he and Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones want to put it on the ballot.

"Our Federal Government has let us down on immigration reform," says Sheriff Jones. "I'm afraid our state legislature may not want to act on it either. Governor Strickland has already indicated plans to veto any legislation similar to Arizona's new immigration law that might make it to his desk. If the majority of voters in Ohio want it done, it's probably going to have to be their initiative to be the driving force."

Jackson feels the initiative sends the wrong message. "We need a rational, humane, just and compassionate way to respond to this issue," he says.

Reverend Bill Jansen, the director of Hispanic Ministry for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, is saddened by Combs' efforts. "Our people come because they are looking for a better life, or they're attempting to survive," says Jansen.

He says proposed laws such as Combs' will lead to a climate of fear. "There are a lot of people here illegally. And just to say, well, we're going to round them up, to me it would look like Nazi Germany again," adds Jansen.

Ironically, Combs doesn't think Ohio should have to be involved in this at all. He says the goal is to get the federal government motivated.

"I believe that if we get enough states who will stand up and say, look, we're going to do something about this, the federal government will be forced to do something," says Combs.

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Jones adds he that to get any citizen initiative for immigration reform ready and placed on the ballot for November will not be easy.