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Immigration See other Immigration Articles Title: Strict illegal immigration bill signed Strict illegal immigration bill signed The S.C. governor says the measure will hamper ‘wink-and-nod' employment practices. Associated Press COLUMBIA -- S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford signed legislation Wednesday that threatens to temporarily shut down businesses and fine them up to $1,000 per worker if they employ illegal immigrants. Sanford said the measure reasserts the rule of law in South Carolina – cracking down on the “wink-and-nod” employment of illegal immigrants. He and legislators said they hope the ideas spread and force Congress to act. “The message is loud and clear: Stop the silent invasion of this state,” said Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston. Legislators boasted the measure is the most strict and effective anti-illegal-immigrant bill in the country. Lawmakers made the law increasingly tougher as debate progressed, with constituents becoming more frustrated by the federal government's inaction on the issue. “It's certainly one of the toughest, if not the toughest,” said Larry Frankel, state legislative counsel in the American Civil Liberty Union's Washington office. Rep. Thad Viers, R-Myrtle Beach, predicted the law will lower the state's unemployment rate, at 5.9 percent in April, because immigrants will “self-deport” and make more jobs available. But immigrant advocates warn lawmakers may regret what they've done. Other states to pass comprehensive efforts include Arizona, Oklahoma and Colorado. Georgia passed the first in 2006. Arizona lawmakers have considered creating a guest-worker program to fill labor shortages. On Wednesday, a federal judge blocked parts of Oklahoma's anti-illegal immigration law, saying it's likely unconstitutional. “The problem with bills that are so harsh is they end up hurting businesses who have problems finding employees,” said the ACLU's Frankel. “It's also driving people out of state. Some people think, ‘That's great; they're illegals,' but it drives out people who are just not willing to be discriminated against because people assume they're illegal.” Frankel said the legislation could worsen the economic downturn in South Carolina. Under the law, all employers must check new hires' Social Security number through a federal online database called E-verify or hire workers with a driver's license from South Carolina or another state with strict requirements. Employers caught not checking their workers can be fined between $100 and $1,000 per worker, and if an investigation finds they knowingly hired an illegal immigrant, their business can be temporarily shut down, up to 30 days on first offense and five years if caught a third time. The state Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation will investigate complaints and can randomly audit companies. Advocates for Hispanics came to the Statehouse on Thursday to urge the governor to reconsider, calling the measure unfair to immigrants trying to provide for their families and a burden to small business owners. “We're just human beings who want a prosperous life,” said Diana Salazar, director of the Latino Association of Charleston, an American-born citizen who said her great-grandmother came here illegally with just pennies in her pocket. Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
#1. To: James Deffenbach (#0)
Props to S.C. for some real legislation.
Yes.
The bleak truth is that, under normal conditions, most of North America and Europe are buried under about 1.5km of ice.
Yeah, and if their neighbor to the immediate north would do the same it might help some.
Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end. If the other fifty would take the same action, we might see some real changes here. It would be most interesting...
It would be most interesting... Yes, and we wouldn't have nearly the problem with all the illegals we have now.
Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end. |
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