Getting closer!!

By Judy Gibbs Robinson
Staff Writer

The council Gov. Brad Henry appointed to advise him on Hispanic issues will ask him to veto an immigration bill expected to receive final legislative approval today.


The Governor's Advisory Council on Latin American and Hispanic Affairs voted unanimously Monday to send Henry a letter expressing grave concerns about House Bill 1804.

The proposed legislation attempts to limit illegal immigration by implementing state requirements and penalties.

Among other things, it would make it a violation of state law to transport or shelter an illegal immigrant; require proof of legal presence for most identity cards; and require public employers and their contractors to verify work eligibility of all new hires.

"It changes the atmosphere in Oklahoma. To my way of seeing it, we're turning into a police state,” said council member Yoland Charney of Owasso.

Arthur Valdez of Oklahoma City called the bill "a license to discriminate.” The local League of United Latin American Citizens has received complaints from legal residents who were barred from work and Oklahoma Minutemen stopping people to ask where they were born, he said.

"It's happening now and it hasn't even passed,” Valdez said.

Expected to pass
Immigration Reform for Oklahoma Now, an anti-illegal immigration group, e-mailed a newsletter to its supporters Sunday, urging them to be in the House gallery for "this historic event.”

Most council members conceded the House would approve Senate amendments today — the last legislative hurdle.

The bill has passed previous votes with overwhelming, bipartisan majorities. The fight now shifts to convincing Henry to veto the bill, said Guillermo Rojas of Tulsa.

"My position is, we go with a strong voice to the governor and ask him to veto this,” Rojas said.

Henry's office routinely declines to comment on veto prospects for pending legislation. During 2006's re-election campaign, the governor repeatedly said he thought immigration should remain a federal issue.

Sebastian Lantos of Tulsa proposed as a compromise asking the governor to use his line-item veto to remove sections of the bill the council finds the most dangerous.

http://www.newsok.com/article/3047623/
Brad Henry - Governor
1-800-865-6490 or 1-800-522-8502 (ask for Brad Henry)
405-521-2342

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Governors E-Mail webpage @
http://www.governor.state.ok.us/message.php