PUBLISHED: Sunday, June 22, 2008
Building a better border

Report urges spending more money on security

By Christy Strawser
Macomb Daily Staff Writer

A new legislative report outlines recommendations to lessen the impact of illegal immigration on security, the economy and job opportunities in Michigan.

Measures range from simple solutions such as increasing patrols along Lake St. Clair to more elaborate suggestions like implementing prison labor programs on farms to cut the job market for illegal workers, and creating driver's licenses that can be used for entry into Canada without a passport.

"This important public act will strengthen our border, allow for the flow of commerce across it, and keep driver's licenses out of the hands of illegal immigrants," according to the report.

The Michigan Task Force on Border Security and Immigration Reform report was released last week after four public hearings in Port Huron, Flint, Jenison and Troy.

The task force of four Republican state representatives listened to concerns from residents, business owners, local law enforcement and border patrol agents to compile recommendations to steer the conversation about illegal immigration.

About 15 recommendations came from the hearings, including requiring the Auditor General to estimate the cost of illegal immigration, allowing non-federal officers to ask about immigration status, and penalizing "sanctuary cities" like Detroit, which does not enforce immigration laws.

Also urged was prohibiting the use of a Mexican Consular Card as ID, forbidding municipal ID cards, disallowing banks from offering credit to illegal immigrants, colleges from giving them in-state tuition rates and labor unions from recruiting them.

Making it easier for farmers to use the agricultural guest worker program is recommended, too. Joining the program now takes approval from four government agencies.

"That's something Congress has been working very diligently on; there aren't enough guest worker permits to go around," said U.S. Rep. Candice Miller, R-Harrison Township. "I think the guest workers, as long as they have the proper permits, should be utilized."

In defense of migrant workers, Mike Yancho St., vice president of Trim Pines Farm Inc., in Grand Blanc said farmers are willing to pay higher transportation and housing costs for those workers because they work harder than local hires.

Yancho told the task force their "productivity, work ethic, practical working knowledge and quality of work is greater," according to a meeting synopsis.

But illegal workers take too much money out of the beleaguered Michigan economy, according to state Rep. Dave Agema, R-Grandville, a task force member. Fellow members were state Rep. Chuck Moss, R-Birmingham, Rep. Phil Pavlov, R-St. Clair County, and Rep. Dave Robertson, R-Grand Blanc.

"Illegal immigration costs taxpayers too much money each year to ignore," Agema said.

The illegal immigrant population in the United States rose from 8.5 million to 11.6 million between 2000 and 2006 -- a 37 percent spike, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

Recognizing Michigan as an immigration hot spot, the federal government agreed to add 30-50 percent more border control staff in the Detroit Sector, which is headquartered at Selfridge Air National Guard Base.

A Great Lakes Air and Marine Wing division will be established later this summer at Selfridge with new boats, airplanes, and 50 to 100 more personnel, Miller said. There are currently about 220 border patrol staff at five stations, including a new one in Marysville.

"The Detroit area has been recognized as a significant risk to border security, so the Detroit sector is the No. 4 focus sector in border patrol, only behind three southwest borders," said Daniel Hiebert, assistant chief patrol agent for the Detroit Sector.

They're also getting help from local law enforcement, especially the Macomb County Sheriff's Department Marine Division, which keeps an eye on Lake St. Clair.

"We do that as part of our normal patrols," Sheriff Mark Hackel said. "We do have a good working relationship with our border patrol. Law enforcement has taken on a new role since 9-11. It's an outreach our agency is dealing with."
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