July 12, 2010


Miss. officials eye immigration policy

State requires employers to check legal status of workers by E-Verify

Elizabeth Crisp

As the nation eyes Arizona's controversial immigration law, some Mississippi officials say they want to see similar legislation here.

Mississippi is one of 14 states that require employers to use the E-Verify system before hiring new workers. E-Verify, an Internet-based service, uses federal databases to check the legal status of potential employees.

Since July 1, all companies in Mississippi with more than 30 workers have had to register. Those with fewer than 30 workers have another year to comply.

Rep. Becky Currie, R-Brookhaven, plans to introduce a bill in the next legislative session to expand the state's immigration restrictions.

"It's pretty much the same bill (as Arizona's)," she said.

The Arizona bill, which both proponents and critics have described as the strictest and broadest immigration effort in years, has come under fire from those who say legal residents and visitors will be unfairly targeted and possibly harassed.

The U.S. Justice Department filed a lawsuit last week arguing Arizona Senate Bill 1070 is unconstitutional. The suit alleges the federal government - not individual states - must regulate immigration. The law is scheduled to go into effect July 29.

The most controversial provision requires law enforcement officers to attempt to determine whether suspected immigrants are in the country illegally and requires legal immigrants carry documentation.

The legislation also places strict penalties against harboring illegal immigrants and directly targets the hiring of workers who congregate at locations, such as home improvement stores.

"It's clearly unconstitutional," Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance executive director Bill Chandler said. "The Arizona bill racially profiles Latinos."

Massive influxes of illegal immigrants and high crime rates have been cited by Arizona officials as the need for the law.

But most Mississippi supporters point to jobs and a potential burden on state resources. Mississippi's unemployment rate was 11.4 percent as of May.

"I'm just more concerned that we put Mississippians to work instead of illegal immigrants," Currie said.

Nearly 600 illegal immigrants were detained following an August 2008 raid at Howard Industries' Laurel plant.

According to the state's lieutenant governor's office, there have been more than 210,000 E-Verify queries made in the past 10 months, compared to 107,093 queries for the 2008 federal fiscal year. Federal fiscal years end Sept. 30.

The year before E-Verify legislation was passed, there were 26,409 inquiries.

Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant, who sent a letter to Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer following the passage of her state's bill, said he will support stricter policies.

"It's unfortunate because the federal government isn't doing its job," Bryant said. "States like Arizona and Mississippi are having to respond to protect themselves."

When Bryant was state auditor, his office released a report outlining the "impact of illegal immigration on Mississippi."

The report, which calculated education, public safety, health care and other costs compared to illegal immigrant contributions, estimated $25 million burden on the state each year.

Bryant said illegal immigrants are creating a burden for Mississippi hospitals because they are less likely to pay for treatment.

"You have some that have babies - anchor babies - and don't pay for it," he said.

"Anchor baby" - a term popular within the anti-immigration movement - refers to children of illegal immigrants who become citizens when they are born in the United States. When those children turn 21 they can sponsor their parents' efforts to obtain legal immigration status.

Use of the term has been criticized by immigration supporters, who say it dehumanizes the child and assumes that citizenship is the parents' only reason for having a baby.

Chandler dismissed Byrant's 2006 study.

"This report is a lie," Chandler said. "It is designed to inflame white racism here in Mississippi."

Bryant countered, "It's strictly about the burden it places on Mississippi."

Currie said she's not deterred by the criticism of the Arizona legislation.

"I say shame on them," she said. "If they won't enforce (immigration) then the states should have a right to."

Similar bills have twice won approval in the state Senate. Both times, the bill died in the House.

Chandler credits the Democrat-controlled House leadership, and African-American leaders in particular, for blocking what he calls "nasty bills."

"They have shown a lot of compassion and support for the Latino community," Chandler said. "This is the same kind of racism that has been perpetuated against African Americans for years."

Currie said she's optimistic next year will be different.

"We're going into an election year," she said. "Our constituents will be watching how we vote."

Chandler has criticized Bryant for using the issue for political gain. Bryant, in his first term as lieutenant governor, is expected to run for governor in the next election.

"It's an issue that I care about as a citizen," Bryant said. "It has nothing to do with politics."

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