September 29, 2008


Panel makes changes to Pickens illegal immigration proposal

By Julie Howle
STAFF WRITER

Changes were made Monday night to a proposed ordinance aimed at combating illegal immigration in Pickens County.

Council members on the Justice and Public Safety Committee made changes to the proposed ordinance and then voted, 2-1, to send it back to the full County Council for third and final reading.

If given final approval, the ordinance would require vendors, contractors and subcontractors that register with the county purchasing division to certify that they "do not knowingly recruit, hire or employ" anyone who is an unauthorized immigrant. Council members on the committee unanimously voted to add contractors and subcontractors to this portion of the ordinance.

Violators would be removed from the county’s vendor list for three years, according to the ordinance, and all verification of employment would be done using e-verify.

The ordinance also would make English the official language of the county, but committee members voted, 2-1, to drop a section that said "all business shall be conducted in English" and replaced that with a portion that said all business will be conducted in accordance with state law.

Councilman Jim London, who voted against the change and against sending on the ordinance for its final vote, said having English as the official language of the state is part of the state code.

"I don’t think it’s necessary," he said. "We know it’s the official language."

Committee members also unanimously struck a section of the proposed ordinance that said agencies that receive county discretionary funding wouldn’t knowingly employ or provide assistance to unauthorized aliens except to protect civil liberties or provide emergency services.

Councilman Ben Trotter said that according to the county attorney the section was in conflict with state law.

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