Thread: Florida gets ready to file Arizona-style immigration enforce

Florida gets ready to file Arizona-style immigration enforcement bills

By John Lantigua
The Palm Beach Post
9:02 p.m. EST, January 4, 2011

The debate over the adoption of an Arizona-type immigration law for Florida is going on the front burners statewide, and Palm Beach County will be one of the hottest spots for that discussion.

On Friday night, state Rep. Bill Snyder, R-Stuart, hosts a town meeting in Palm City to discuss a bill he will introduce to the legislature this spring. Snyder's district includes a part of northern Palm Beach County.

"I expect it to be a forum where people will give me ideas for changes that might be appropriate for the bill," Snyder said on Monday. "It will be a place to express both support and opposition."

Snyder's measure unequivocally states its aims regarding the number of illegal immigrants in Florida.

"The intent of this act is to make attrition through enforcement the public policy of all state and local government agencies in Florida," the bill states. "The provisions of this act are intended to work together to discourage and deter the unlawful entry and presence of aliens and economic activity by persons unlawfully present in the United States."

The bill contains many of the same controversial proposals included in Arizona Senate Bill 1070, which divided the nation last year.

It will allow state, county and local law enforcement officials to question the immigration status of anyone they stop in pursuit of their duties. It would allow those officials to detain anyone who is an illegal immigrant and hand them over to federal immigration authorities.

The bill also mandates that all Florida employers use the Federal E-Verify computer system to determine the legal status of anyone they hire.

It would revoke the business licenses of any firms that repeat the offense of hiring illegal immigrant workers.

Such a move could have an impact on agriculture, one of Florida's most profitable industries.

It also would affect construction, landscaping and restaurants, which traditionally have employed many illegal immigrant workers.

Snyder's bill also makes it illegal for people not legally in the country to seek employment in any public place and for any would-be employers to stop in those places to hire illegal workers — a move that will seriously affect the numerous day labor sites around South Florida.

Illegal immigrants arrested for criminal offenses will face enhanced penalties.

For example, a person arrested for a third-degree felony would face penalties normally applied to perpetrators of second-degree felonies.

Snyder said he has received positive feedback on the bill.

"A theme I hear over and over again is that we are a country where there is rule of law, and people feel that when you have hundreds of thousands of people in the state ignoring the law of the land, it just doesn't feel right to them," he said.

The Martin County Republican Executive Committee is among the supporters.

"It provides a realistic enforcement method for the state," said Mark Klingensmith, the county GOP chairman.

Klingensmith said the county GOP is concerned about the extra costs that illegal immigrants are causing in the local criminal justice and health care systems.

But Snyder said he also has heard from opponents of the bill.

"They are mostly concerned that the bill will result in racial profiling," he said.

In various places, the 29-page bill prohibits the use of racial and ethnic identifiers for enforcing the law. But opponents say they don't believe racial profiling can be avoided once the law is enacted, given the overwhelmingly Latin character of Florida's illegal immigrant population.

"I'm not sure how he is going to make this work," said Manuel Guerra of Indiantown, a member of Students Working for Equal Rights, an immigrants' rights organization.

"The issue of racial profiling may be very difficult to control. And a lot of people who have lived here for years, have committed no crimes and are hoping to someday win legal residence may end up being deported."

At least two other state legislators are expected to present similar legislation: Rep. Kevin Ambler, R- Tampa, and Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton.

After the Arizona legislature passed its law in April, the Obama administration challenged the law, saying the state was usurping the immigration-related duties of the federal government. A federal judge agreed and blocked some parts of the law.

The case is currently before a U.S. Court of Appeals and is expected to eventually go to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Snyder said the outcome of the Arizona case could influence where Florida goes with its legislation.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/palm-b ... 3284.story

WELL, I RECKON THE CORRUPT POTUS IS GOING TO BE SUING EVERY STATE THAT ENACT THESE LAWS, BUT THIS IS A CASE OF STATES RIGHTS TO RID THEMSELVES OF ILLEGAL ALIENS ONCE AND FOR ALL SINCE THIS IS A JOB THAT THE THE IDIOT IN THE WH DON'T WANT TO DO HE'S REALLY GOING TO HAVE HIS DIRTY, AND BLOODY HANDS FULL TRYING TO GET AROUND TO SUING EVERY STATE THAT PASS THESE LAWS. WAY TO GO FLA. COME ON N.C. WAKE U

Will there be anything in this bill about requiring proof of legal status for all parents of minor children who apply for welfare bennies?. If American citizens must provide documentation, why not illegal aliens??

Do the mothers of anchor babies provide their own SS numbers for proof of income? If not, why are American mothers required to do so? Maybe American women should say they don't have a SS#, don't work and are single mothers. Seems to work for illegal aliens, why not us?

Our skins the wrong color... most of us are white hence we are all filthy rich from birth that had the world handed to us and never worked a day in our rich lives. Or least thats what I've been told.

LadyStClaire: HE'S REALLY GOING TO HAVE HIS DIRTY, AND BLOODY HANDS FULL TRYING TO GET AROUND TO SUING EVERY STATE THAT PASS THESE LAWS

Re: the above... I can just picture our corrupt potus's face =

Now that makes me smile!