Ohio may be preparing for an illegal immigrant crackdown

State legislators considering new laws.

By Ken Robinson, Newsradio WTAM 1100

Sunday, September 7, 2008

(Columbus) - Ohio lawmakers frustrated by what they call federal government inaction on illegal immigration are pushing for stronger enforcement laws.

Lawmakers and local officials are also demanding that employers do more to prove their workers have legal status.

An investigation by the Columbus Dispatch found that get-tough bills have been enacted or introduced in at least a dozen other states.

Oklahoma passed a law last year intended to drive away illegal immigrants.

Steve Salvi, a Northeast Ohio paralegal who runs a web site on the hot button issue, says illegal immigrants have had their way in Ohio for too long.

However, Ezra Escudero of the Ohio Commission on Hispanic/Latino Affairs, a state office that advises the legislature and governor on issues affecting the Latino community, claims this focus is misdirected and with Ohio faces so many other challenges, he can’t understand lawmakers would want to scare so many people away.

Virginia Martinez, attorney for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, believes such policies will only encourage racial profiling. She contends most of the immigrants don’t even have a criminal record, they’re just without papers.

The Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency has quadrupled the number of its agents and tripled the number of deportations.
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