San Antonio Express-News: Don’t waste time on immigration

Don’t waste time on immigration
Express-News Editorial Board
Published: 08:13 p.m., Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Immigration reform legislation should be left to federal lawmakers.

Members of the Texas Legislature have their work cut out for them as they convene in Austin this week with a huge budget shortfall hanging over their heads. They cannot afford to waste any time on immigration legislation.

Immigration is a federal issue, and it needs to be addressed soon. However, wasting the valuable time of the Legislature, which only meets in regular session for five months every two years, on this matter is not going to resolve the immigration problems facing this country.

There are already some 40 assorted immigration-related bills filed in Austin. Included among them is a bill mandating that school district officials determine students’ citizenship. Another would take away state funding from local entities that don’t enforce immigration laws.

Immigration is a hot-button issue that should not be allowed to divert state lawmakers’ attention from pressing matters that need their immediate attention such as public education, transportation and public health.

At a press conference in Austin last week, Bill Hammond, executive director of the Texas Association of Business, said immigration reform should come from Washington, and he is absolutely right.

“Most Republicans are favoring this type of legislation, and they are our traditional friends — that’s not a secret. It’s our hope they will ... slow down, take a hard look at the long-term impact on Texas before they enact this legislation,â€

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There is also concern among some that new immigration laws will increase the unfunded mandates on the cash-strapped local governments that would be responsible for enforcing the new laws.

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If current federal immigration laws are enforced, it will free up funds for cash-strapped local governments! No more welfare, no more free medical care, no more free school, no more free anything for illegal aliens and their anchors. FREE up funds, ENFORCE and DEPORT!!

See? Simple.

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Originally Posted by miguelina

If current federal immigration laws are enforced, it will free up funds for cash-strapped local governments! No more welfare, no more free medical care, no more free school, no more free anything for illegal aliens and their anchors. FREE up funds, ENFORCE and DEPORT!!

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And when more states do that, Reconquistas will not be able to single out any one of them.

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Originally Posted by jamesw62

Members of the Texas Legislature have their work cut out for them as they convene in Austin this week with a huge budget shortfall hanging over their heads. They cannot afford to waste any time on immigration legislation.

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Texas’s illegal immigrant population is costing the state’s taxpayers more than $4.7 billion per year for education, medical care and incarceration. Looking for ways to cut the $27 billion budget deficite, well here is a good place to start trimming the fat.