Tulsa councilor proposes immigration ordinance

EQUALITY
Jim Mautino: "I just want everybody in the city of Tulsa to be treated the same," he says.
By P.J. LASSEK World Staff Writer
Published: 5/23/2010 2:26 AM
Last Modified: 5/23/2010 5:09 AM

City Councilor Jim Mautino is proposing a city ordinance addressing illegal immigration that appears to mirror portions of House Bill 1804.

The proposed ordinance, still in a rough draft form, would require the city to conduct electronic verification of the citizenship status for all new city employees, as well as contractors and subcontractors doing work for the city. It also would require verifications to be made on anyone older than age 13 who applies for state or local public benefits.

"I just want everybody in the city of Tulsa to be treated the same. Right now, it's not," Mautino said in a Tulsa World interview Friday.

Mautino's proposed ordinance had its first reading at Thursday's council meeting, giving the councilor 60 days to get it ready for a second reading and vote.

"I need that time to have a legal review to make sure the provisions match the judge's ruling on House Bill 1804," he said.

Mautino is targeting a July 1 implementation date.

A federal appeals court has ruled that the state cannot enforce portions of HB 1804, a 2007 immigration law. But provisions have gone into effect requiring public employers to use an online federal verification system to check the employment status of all new employees and prohibiting them from contracting with entities that do not do the same.

Mautino told the World his effort stems from constituents in his district being frustrated over "people who don't speak English" being involved in hit-and-run accidents where
the car cannot be traced or accidents in which the drivers have no license or insurance.

"People are ringing my phone saying, 'Get something done,' " he said.

Mautino's eastside District 6 has substantial populations of Hispanics and Asians.

The 2000 census indicates the district's population is 12.5 percent Hispanic and 3.5 percent Asian, compared to overall city averages of 7.2 percent Hispanic and 2.2 percent Asian.

Mautino said the district also has "lots of shootings, and if a house becomes vacant they strip it." He wouldn't identify who "they" are.

Mautino said he thinks Tulsa is a "sanctuary city" where police are not verifying citizenship status during traffic stops.

He said a 2006 city resolution that requires contractors doing business with the city to sign an affidavit that the legal status of their employees and subcontractors has been verified isn't strong enough.

"It's just a resolution, not a city ordinance," he said.

In March, Mautino helped spearhead an effort to crack down on mobile food vendors, such as taco stands, due to concerns about health issues and the inability to collect sales taxes.

At that time, Mautino told the World: "This is Third World stuff. When people come here, we assimilate them into our lifestyle and our politics; it's not the other way around. It seems to me like what's happening is we're being assimilated."

Councilor Maria Barnes said Friday that she opposes such an ordinance and thinks illegal immigration is a federal issue, not local.

"What is he really trying to accomplish here?" she said. "We know he is targeting Hispanics because all of his pictures of food vendors. He's like a dog with a bone. He just won't let it go."

Councilors Rick Westcott, Bill Christiansen, John Eagleton and Chris Trail also say their initial impression is that the proposed ordinance is already state law.

"I haven't thoroughly read the ordinance, nor have I heard why he (Mautino) wants it, but my first impression is that it is redundant," Eagleton said.

Trail said that "not every Hispanic is an illegal. They are good, tax-paying, God-loving citizens of Tulsa."

Trail and Barnes said such an ordinance would add to the burden on the city's already depleted manpower when there are other, "bigger issues" facing the city.

Christiansen said he would be more likely to support making the city's resolution addressing contractors and subcontractors an ordinance to give it more enforcement power.

Councilor G.T. Bynum said illegal immigration is a "hot-button" item, and he wants to hear the discussion before publicly commenting.

Councilors Jack Henderson and Roscoe Turner could not be reached.




pj.lassek@tulsaworld.com


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