Thread: Who should get city services? Proposal targets illegal immig

10/11/07

Who should get city services?
Proposal targets illegal immigrants

By Sheldon S. Shafer
sshafer@courier-journal.com

The Louisville Metro Council will consider a resolution calling on metro government departments to adopt policies on dealing with illegal immigrants who seek services and benefits.

The measure will be introduced at a council meeting tonight by member Doug Hawkins, R-25th District, who says he wants to try to stem problems related to illegal immigration.

Hawkins acknowledged that he couldn't cite any specific examples of illegal immigrants receiving city services. But he said he wouldn't be surprised if some illegal immigrant doesn't approach the city for a service or assistance "on a daily basis."

The council member said he wouldn't seek to deny anyone services such as fire and police protection. But he said he doesn't believe illegal immigrants should have access to services such as health clinics, job training and housing assistance.

Hawkins said his measure was spurred by discussions on local radio talk shows of illegal immigrants getting local services at taxpayer expense.

Maria Cruz, a Louisville real estate agent who is a member of a local Hispanic women's group, said she would be opposed to withholding any needed services to anyone, even if they are in the country illegally.

"These people are not terrorists. Most of them are just trying to make a living," she said, adding that many Hispanics "are going through a lot of hard times right now. It is tough."

Metro Council resolutions are only advisory, but Hawkins said he is drafting a related ordinance that would set some requirements for dealing with illegal immigrants. He said he doesn't know the details of the ordinance yet but that it probably would include some of the measures called for in the resolution.

If adopted by the full council, the resolution urges the city to:

Have all departments adopt a policy on what services and benefits may be withheld from illegal immigrants. Policies are to also cover actions that can be taken when departments become aware of someone attempting to unlawfully obtain metro services or benefits.

Offer training to employees on how to identify false documents such as forged Social Security cards.

Have Louisville Metro Police and Metro Corrections officers be trained on how to access a federal database to detect illegal immigrants in their custody. If the individuals have outstanding warrants, they can be transferred to federal custody.

"It is time to stop worrying about all the things local government cannot do to enforce immigration laws. There are many helpful things local government can do," Hawkins said.

Bart Weigel, a spokesman for Catholic Charities, said the agency supports immigration reform but also believes in the "dignity of the human person," and that denying a needed service would be contrary to the agency's mission of urging fair treatment of immigrants.

He added that it may be impossible to identify what services should and should not be rendered.

Several council members said yesterday it's too early to predict whether Hawkins' measure will pass. "I don't even know if we have many illegal" immigrants, said council member Dan Johnson, D-21st District.

The resolution probably will be assigned to the council's government administration committee of which Kelly Downard, R-16th District, is chairman.

Downard said he shares some of Hawkins' concerns but wants to call in immigration officials and others to discuss with his committee the degree of such problems locally. "We need to review all this," he said.

Council member Tina Ward-Pugh, D-District 9, said she will oppose the resolution, mainly because "people should not be denied services (locally) when the country doesn't have a comprehensive solution to the problem" of illegal immigrants.

Kerri Richardson, spokeswoman for Mayor Jerry Abramson, said the administration has yet to review the resolution.

But she said that many services for immigrants are funded with federal and state money and are merely administered by the city under federal and state guidelines that the city can't change.

There is no good way to know where to draw the line in providing some services and denying others, she said. "There has to be a better way to address this than making rules that are difficult to enforce."

Hawkins said he wouldn't deny basic services such as police or fire protection to anyone. He said that under federal law, illegal immigrants cannot be denied a grade-school education, emergency health care, immunizations if they have communicable diseases, emergency food assistance and emergency disaster relief.

Federal immigration officials couldn't be reached for comment late yesterday afternoon.

Hawkins said that at his request, the county attorney is drafting an ordinance that, among other things, would have city departments keep track of incidents in which illegal immigrants seek benefits, and report them to the council.

He said his resolution "is a starting point" to begin dealing with the problem of illegal immigrants.

Hawkins said he is not against illegal immigrants becoming citizens. "I encourage them to do so," he said.

Reporter Sheldon S. Shafer can be reached at (502) 582-7089.

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbc ... /710110405

How about saying "come and apply for your benefits but after I sign you up I will also report you to ICE" Such a simple policy

"These people are not terrorists. Most of them are just trying to make a living," she said, adding that many Hispanics "are going through a lot of hard times right now. It is tough."

another whiner...notice how she says "Hispanics", she won't dare to call them illegal aliens.....they try to throw that punch, try to make us feel guilty by euphamizing the term illegal alien.

The council member said he wouldn't seek to deny anyone services such as fire and police protection. But he said he doesn't believe illegal immigrants should have access to services such as health clinics, job training and housing assistance.