Thread: Illegal-immigration bills to advance

Illegal-immigration bills to advance
By WESLEY P. HESTER
Published: February 08, 2011

A package of bills aimed at attacking illegal immigration is expected to clear the House of Delegates today after easily advancing Monday to final reading.

The 10 bills — introduced by House Republicans — have been vehemently opposed by numerous groups who claim they promote discrimination.

The highest-profile of the bunch is House Bill 2332, sponsored by Del. L. Scott Lingamfelter, R-Prince William, which would require state and local law enforcement officers to make inquiries into a person's citizenship status upon arrest.

Currently, legal status is checked only when someone is taken into custody at a jail. The new legislation would apply to those arrested by police but released on bail or bond before being incarcerated.

"Make no mistake about, if the Congress of the United States did their job, we would not be dealing with this," said Lingamfelter, defending the bill. "But they are not dealing with the problem and it is at our footstep."

Del. Joseph D. Morrissey, D-Henrico, gave a fiery floor speech in opposition, calling the bill racial profiling.

"The people who will be targeted will be those whose color is of a darker tinge than us or whose ethnicity invites scrutiny, and that's why it's unconstitutional," he said.

Claire Guthrie Gastañaga, a longtime lobbyist on immigration issues, agreed, labeling the proposed law an "Arizona-style bill" and an "open invitation to bias-based policing."

House Bill 1465, sponsored by Del. Christopher K. Peace, R-Hanover, would require Virginia's public colleges and universities to have a written policy on denying enrollment to illegal immigrants.

Peace said he introduced the measure in response to federal DREAM Act legislation that failed to pass Congress late last year, which he said would make schools "amnesty centers."

Del. David L. Englin, D-Alexandria, called the bill "inhumane and mean-spirited" and said it would punish children who grew up here and are "basically American."

"I'm not sure what it means to be 'basically American,' " responded Peace. "You're either American or you're not."

Other bills that advanced would allow Virginia State Police to enforce federal immigration laws and require businesses with 15 or more employees and government contractors to use the federal E-Verify system to determine legal status of employees.

Another would require local departments of social services to verify legal citizenship of applicants for public assistance before providing benefits and allow the governor to withhold funds from a locality in violation.

The bills will face an uphill battle in the Democrat-controlled state Senate.

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2011 ... ar-827013/

Del. Joseph D. Morrissey, D-Henrico, gave a fiery floor speech in opposition, calling the bill racial profiling.

"The people who will be targeted will be those whose color is of a darker tinge than us or whose ethnicity invites scrutiny, and that's why it's unconstitutional," he said.

Really?!! What "tinge" would that be, Sir? And what "ethnicity" would "invite scrutiny"?

It doesn't matter what "tinge" or what "ethnicity" a person may carry with them, if they're in our country in violation of US immigration law and aren't carrying their papers, then under our rule of law, they are the ones who are "unconstitutional".

And Joseph Morrissey, when was the last time you checked the "tinge" of your Virginia jails? Maybe you better start upholding the US Constitution on another issue and go pay a visit and report back to the people of your state on what percentage of people in your state prisons have a "tinge".

How dare you maniacs use such terms as "tinge" to describe some unknown foreign national that you don't know a thing about and have no clue what their immigration status is when you've crammed black citizens of the United States into your jails on phony non-violent drug charges at 7 times the rates of the "rest of us" when there are 7 times more of the "rest of us" than blacks in the United States and blacks and the "rest of us" use drugs at the same rates, and you have done so without so much a second thought for decades spilling a trail of carnage and suffering that would wrap this planet 10 times over.

Now shut up, pass these bills and get these illegal aliens no matter what their "tinge" or "ethnicity" is out of our country.

"The people who will be targeted will be those whose color is of a darker tinge than us or whose ethnicity invites scrutiny, and that's why it's unconstitutional," he said.

Illegal aliens come in all flavors.

What state is this?

W

Originally Posted by ALIPAC

What state is this?

W

Looks like it's Virginia

I guess the tanning salons will be offering light, medium, dark and illegal tinged shades.

QUICK, some-one had better warn the Jersey Shore cast ASAP!

It's VA, sorry about that!

"Welcome to Alipac Denisse, you showed up in just the nick of time!
"Hold on! it's a bumpy ride!"

Originally Posted by stevetheroofer

"Welcome to Alipac Denisse, you showed up in just the nick of time!
"Hold on! it's a bumpy ride!"

I'll second that. Welcome and hang on.