Thread: TN ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYS NO WAY JOSE

The Tennessee Attorney General Bob Cooper is saying "NO" to the bill authorizing fines to those who hire illegal aliens.

State Attorney General Rules Illegal Worker Bills Invalid


Last Update: May 14, 2007 1:36 PM


KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - State Attorney General Bob Cooper has said in an opinion that a bill fining employers who hire illegal immigrants could not be enforced.

That's because it attempts to trump federal law.

The proposed bill sponsored by Senator Bill Ketron would impose a 10-thousand dollar fine on employers who are found to hire illegal immigrants.

But a federal law explicitly states that federal immigration law pre-empts any state or local law that imposes sanctions on those who hire illegal immigrants.

The General Assembly is considering several other bill that target illegal immigration, but it is unclear how federal law might apply to them.

One would allow local law enforcement agencies to enforce immigration law. Another would require employers to check a federal database to verify that an employee is in the legally in the U-S.

A bill that prohibits transportation of illegal immigrants into Tennessee for profit is awaiting the signature of Governor Phil Bredesen.

That bill imposes a 1-thousand dollar fine on offenders for each illegal immigrant transported.

http://www.myeyewitnessnews.com/news/st ... 4053d7396e

State Attorney General Bob Cooper another spineless jerk who does not support Americans.

Big Baby.

What the hell is up with TN?

It is spelled Jose, sounds like Hosea. No Way Jose.

Thank you for the spelling correction.

Article published May 16, 2007

Federal law foils Ketron bills to halt illegal immigration


When Sen. Bill Ketron ran for re-election last year, he based his campaign on stemming the flow of illegal immigrants into Tennessee.

In fact, his signs said, "Stop illegal immigration."

Unfortunately, Ketron seems to be fighting a battle that has to be waged at the federal level. One of his legislative efforts to turn back illegal immigrants is illegal because it attempts to trump federal law, according to state Attorney General Bob Cooper, and another is highly suspect.

Either it's time for Ketron to admit this is a federal problem, or Congress needs to face up to its responsibility of enforcing immigration laws. Short of that, the feds should give states more leeway in dealing with this problem.

One bill sponsored by Ketron would impose a $10,000 fine on employers caught hiring illegal immigrants. Makes sense, right? Cooper, however, released an opinion last week stating federal law "pre-empts" state and local laws that would penalize companies for recruiting or hiring illegal immigrants.

That decision could affect another bill by Ketron giving local law enforcement agencies the authority to enforce immigration laws across the state. A note attached to it by the Legislature's Fiscal Review Committee says it can't be enforced because federal law pre-empts it.

Ketron's efforts to attack the problem from the point of law enforcement and employment are laudable, just unworkable based on the attorney general's opinion and probably expensive, too. As it stands, illegal immigrants convicted of breaking the law on the local level simply serve their time and go back out on the streets instead of being deported.

Rutherford County Sheriff's Office is working with the federal government on a program enabling it to link with a national database to check the citizenship status of people charged with other crimes. Once they go through the court system, they could be turned over to the feds for deportation.

In that vein, a bill is working its way through Congress giving state and local authorities the authority to arrest, hold and transfer illegal immigrants into the custody of the U.S. government. Another would affirm the rights of state and local officers to enforce criminal provisions of immigration law in the normal course of their duties.

Still another bill would provide grants to offset the expenses for local law enforcement handling cases involving illegal immigration.

Until this federal legislation passes, though, it's likely efforts in Tennessee to crack down on illegal immigration will be frustrated. And as honorable as Ketron's intentions may be, he'll probably have to wait on Congress, which can be as frustrating as watching TV footage of illegal immigrants crossing the border undetected.

http://dnj.midsouthnews.com/apps/pbcs.d ... 60330/1016