Thread: Proposed ordinance to slow illegal immigration, Boaz, AL

http://www.waff.com/Global/story.asp?S=5242462

Proposed ordinance aims to slow illegal immigration

Aug 4, 2006 07:11 PM

One valley town is tired of the influx of illegal immigrants and wants something done about it.

Boaz Mayor Tim Walker is proposing an ordinance that would make it harder for illegals to live and work in Boaz.

"It has been ridiculous how they've, I mean, just come in," said Boaz resident Veda Wynn.

Walker says it's a problem that's only getting worse.

"People are people. And no matter where they're from, they need to be legal," said Walker.

He's proposing an ordinance that would deny business permits and licenses to industries that hire illegal immigrants.

Meaning, if they did, they wouldn't be welcome to do business in Boaz.

The ordinance would also go after people who rent housing to illegals and would make English the official language for city business.

"We're not trying to hurt anybody. We're trying to protect our heritage while managing the cultural change in our community," said Walker.

Some Boaz residents say it's a way to re-claim their city.

"There's so many of them coming in here there should've been something done a long time ago," said Boaz resident William Wynn.

Walker says the city attorney and the state attorney general are expected to review the ordinance to make sure no one's rights are violated.

It's not known when a decision will be made.

Walker says if the ordinance does pass, it will not penalize businesses that already employ illegal immigrants.

It will only affect new hires.
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Another small town taking a stand! woohoo!

Walker says if the ordinance does pass, it will not penalize businesses that already employ illegal immigrants.

Illegal is illegal! How can an ordinance be passed that is designed to punish companies that hire illegals in the future, yet allows those that have already hired illegals to continue to keep them? You can't have your cake and eat it too. I see a serious legal issue with such an ordinance. What is to prevent future employment seeking illegals from filing a lawsuit claiming discrimination? Aren't they being discriminated against when some illegals are allowed to work for companies in town while others aren't? I think they need to seriously reconsider the ordinance - it should cover all illegals, past, present, and future hires.

http://www.sandmountainreporter.com

Immigrant law proposed

By David Clemons
The Reporter

Published August 3, 2006

Boaz Mayor Tim Walker wants the city to pass a law he says would take a stance against illegal immigration.

In an open letter, Walker suggests a law he calls the Illegal Immigration and Relief Act Ordinance for the City of Boaz. It would deny business permits and licenses to industries that hire illegal immigrants, property owners who rent to illegal immigrants and mandate the use of English for city business.

Walker said he’s been considering such an act since early this year.

“I believe it’s a detriment to the community if we don’t do something, so that’s the reason I’m taking my stand,” he said. “I’m not after anybody’s practices in the past. I think our federal government is not doing a good job of leading us in this issue.

“What we’re wanting to do is identify some of the things that we can control in the future.”

Walker said he could not guess how many illegal immigrants might be in Boaz, but he thinks some are living outside the city limits in substandard rental housing.

LAW continued from 1A

“To me, that’s an abuse of these people, too,” he said.

The ordinance, which Walker calls a “working document,” first will go to the city attorney, Danny Smith.

“Whatever we put together, he will do the homework to make sure we’re not violating the rights of somebody,” Walker said.

The second-term mayor stressed that he does not want to hurt anybody by the ordinance.

“I just think that we’ve got to do something,” he said. “If we wait on the federal government — I’m not trying to blame the federal government, but their wheels grind pretty slow.

“Anything that we pass will be superceded by any sort of state or federal regulation that we pass anyway.”

A town in Pennsylvania recently passed such a law, called a “model ordinance.” Gadsden’s mayor, Steve Means, has proposed such an act for his city as well.

Means said he wants to address problems caused by illegal immigrants living in substandard housing, particularly in cases of multiple families living in a single home.

“My angle on it is that we’d love to have [legal immigrants] in our community,” Means said. “If they’re here illegally, then they shouldn’t be.”

Walker said there is a “broad” concern in Boaz about illegal immigration.

“I don’t think people are angry that there’s a Latino population here,” he said. “That’s not the problem. Many of them are good citizens, good people.

“It’s just that there’s change in the culture and change in the area, and the biggest change is within the job sector that’s doing a lot of the hiring policies for this area. There’s saturation there.

“We need other jobs that legal aliens or legal immigrants or people that’s been here all of their lives can advance to.”

Illegal is illegal! How can an ordinance be passed that is designed to punish companies that hire illegals in the future, yet allows those that have already hired illegals to continue to keep them?

I know MW, it's completely asinine!

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Proposed ordinance aims to slow illegal immigration

Sep 6, 2006 01:19 PM CDT

One valley town is tired of the influx of illegal immigrants and wants something done about it.

Boaz Mayor Tim Walker is proposing an ordinance that would make it harder for illegals to live and work in Boaz.

"It has been ridiculous how they've, I mean, just come in," said Boaz resident Veda Wynn.

Walker says it's a problem that's only getting worse.

"People are people. And no matter where they're from, they need to be legal," said Walker.

He's proposing an ordinance that would deny business permits and licenses to industries that hire illegal immigrants.

Meaning, if they did, they wouldn't be welcome to do business in Boaz.

The ordinance would also go after people who rent housing to illegals and would make English the official language for city business.

"We're not trying to hurt anybody. We're trying to protect our heritage while managing the cultural change in our community," said Walker.

Some Boaz residents say it's a way to re-claim their city.

"There's so many of them coming in here there should've been something done a long time ago," said Boaz resident William Wynn.

Walker says the city attorney and the state attorney general are expected to review the ordinance to make sure no one's rights are violated.

It's not known when a decision will be made.

Walker says if the ordinance does pass, it will not penalize businesses that already employ illegal immigrants.

It will only affect new hires.