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My Fellow South Carolinians,

It was nauseating to sit and watch sitting in the balcony of the the House of Representative Chambers at the State Capitol as Speaker Bobby Harrell denied several legislators their right to introduce amendments that would have given South Carolinians an immigration bill like Tennessee or Arizona. Private employers got a free ride, as the bill does not address the hiring of illegals by private employers who do no business with the state. So the selfish-greedy poultry processors, construction contractors, hospitality industry, farmers, and landscapers get a free ride, as long as they don't do business with the state or municipalities. So we have a bill that only penalizes, albeit minimally, companies that hire illegals AND do business with the state. A whopping 5% penalty is assessed if a company with a state contract hires illegal aliens. To add insult to injury, there is a phase in period. Furthermore, local ordinances that penalize companies that hire illegal aliens are forbidden. Those in existence are null and void. Legislators are afraid of Speaker Harrell's revenge. I submit to you, that legislators need to represent the people, even if they lose their committee assignments.

Representative Joe Neal, a Democrat, called the bill a sham, and a deceitful tactic against the people of South Carolina. Rep. Neal appears to have the pulse of the people and does not seem to be beholden to the SC Chamber of Commerce. Rep. Joe Neal said it actually makes it easier for businesses to employ illegal workers because the penalties are so lenient. Under the legislation, contractors who don't check the status of employees can be fined 5 percent of their total project if they're working for public agencies and governments. "We didn't even require them to lose the contract or fire the illegal immigrants," said Neal, D-Hopkins. "We're giving a wink and a nod and calling the public blind mules because they're not supposed to understand the game that's being played."

When I asked Rep. Young about leaving out private employers, she told me that "the lawyers of the house judiciary committee told me that it would make the bill unconstitutional." I told her that she had been told a bold face LIE! I informed her that other states had passed laws to go after private employers. Indeed, in 1986 Congress passed a law that required penalties for employers who hired illegals at the same time that it granted amnesty to over 3 millions illegal aliens. The federal government chose to not enforce the law, and now we have 12-20 Million Illegal Aliens roaming around our nation!

I was also told by several senators that the Chamber of Commerce did not want private employers on the bill. Let me repeat this: The Chamber of Commerce does not want our legislators to pass a law that would go after private employers that hire illegals. Since when did we elect the Chamber of Commerce to be our representatives and senators? Folks, we need to make examples of these political cowards who continue to betray us. There are more of us citizens than there are lobbyist. We may not have the money that the Chamber of Commerce and Farm Bureau dole out to our elected officials, but we certainly have the votes. Are we going to give these house members a free ride or are we going to find candidates to challenge them in the upcoming June primary? Remember filing starts and ends in the month of March!

The revised bills are now online and you can get them by going to http://www.scstatehouse.net. Just type in the bill number (either 4400 or 392) in the space provided on the right hand column and you should get the version that will be going to the floor. Be prepared to call and email your senators as the third reading is just a formality and it would take 2/3 of the members to pass an amendment. Please see for yourself what took place at the House of Representatives on Tuesday, January 29 by clicking here for the current House journal. Unfortunately, you won't find what went on "behind close doors."

Both bills S392 and H4400 will contain the same language when they leave the house for the senate. Now we need to place all of our efforts on the senators. Please don't accept any excuses.

When you contact the senate members, please be professional and courteous. Be specific as to what you think will make the bill stronger and thank them for their support. Your emails have had a tremendous impact. I have had several members ask me if there was anyway to stop people from sending so many e-mails and my answer was, "Give us a good bill and we will stop." So keep up your good work.

Tell them to amend or put back in S392 the following:

F to include penalties for private employers (Tennessee and Arizona's Laws do this). These employers are the number one magnet of illegal aliens.

F to delete the phase in period for businesses. All businesses, regardless of the number of employees should be penalized for the hiring of the illegals.

F that you want local governments to have the right to make stronger ordinances. The Chamber of Commerce Does Not Want This!

F make it a felony to transport, conceal, harbor or shelter an illegal alien. I believe this is in the version that will be going to senate. But it won't hurt to remind them that we want this as part of the final version.