Thread: KY: Lawmaker questions practicality of Ky. immigration bill

PLEASE CALL STEVE RIGGS (D) TO TELL HIM TO SUPPORT THIS BILL

Lawmaker questions practicality of Ky. immigration bill

Lexington Herald-Leader
By Jack Brammer
Jan 31, 2011
FRANKFORT, KY

A state lawmaker whose House committee this week will consider the Senate-passed bill designed to crack down on illegal immigrants said Sunday his panel will "give it a fair hearing, but we have a lot of questions about it."

House Local Governments Chairman Steve Riggs, D-Louisville, said the Senate might have approved Senate Bill 6 earlier this month "as a symbolic vote to deal with illegal immigrants.

"What I wonder about is if they considered how practical it is to implement," he said.

The bill would allow police to ask about an immigrant's legal status during a "lawful contact" such as stopping a vehicle for having a taillight out. It also would create crimes for smuggling illegal immigrants for profit and "aiding and abetting" illegal immigrants to come to Kentucky.

Riggs said he wants to know where illegal immigrants would be jailed. He said about 98 percent of Kentucky's 17,700 jail beds are filled.

"That means we have about 250 beds open in our county jails," he said. "It's been estimated that we have 30,000 to 50,000 illegal immigrants — about 1 percent of the state's population.

"If we did round up all the illegals, where will we put them?"

Riggs also said he wants to know what effect the bill would have on business.

"It's been estimated that Arizona, with its strict immigration bill, is going to lose $120 million in revenue from businesses that are boycotting the state with their conventions," he said.

Riggs noted that the measure allows a police officer to approach anyone and ask his or her immigration status.

That means a group of Japanese businessmen could be eating at a McDonald's, and a constable could question them about their legality, he said.

"I understand there are about 80 different types of documents dealing with a person's immigration," Riggs said. "Would the level of police training to implement this legislation be on the same level as what federal immigration agents get?"

Riggs said his committee will hold at least two hearings on SB 6, which was approved 24-14 by the Senate. The first will be at noon Wednesday in the Capitol Annex in Frankfort. The other will be Feb. 9.

Supporters of the bill have said Kentucky must approve it before neighboring states pass their strict immigration laws and the Bluegrass State becomes a haven for illegal immigrants.

Opponents have scheduled a rally at 11:30 a.m. Feb. 8 at the Capitol in Frankfort.

Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/2011/01/31/1617 ... .html#more#ixzz1CeVXnH00

I have been blocked from making any comments on the site,

http://www.kentucky.com/2011/01/31/1617 ... .html#more#ixzz1CeVXnH00

for attempting to submit the following:

There is a real DIVIDE between the Citizens who want their National Borders Secured and Our Immigration Laws Enforced and the Elitist Politicians in charge of our Federal, State, and Local Governments that have their own agenda of serving their Elitist Political Contributors and their Special Interest Groups who benefit financially from the ILLEGALS not United States Citizens.

P.S. The Lexington Hearld Leader has a long history of being Pro-Elitist and anti-Citizen.

This number just like the national numbers is a lie, a big fat stinkin' ass lie
Please call Riggs, he is noway cool enough to be a steve, he's probably a Steven or Stephen!

"If we did round up all the illegals,where will we put them ?"

How about.......Send them back where they came from !

revrick are you running for office? if so you have my vote! Welcome to Alipac
you should check out FAQ in general some really cool stuff there!