S.C. immigration reform dealt fatal blowDispute over how to check worker's documentation is deal breaker By Yvonne Wenger (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Brad Nettles The Legislature's compromise immigration reform bill was killed in a conference committee Wednesday. The Legislature's long-fought immigration reform plan has been tossed aside. A conference committee killed the compromise bill Wednesday because some lawmakers argued that it wouldn't do enough to stop employers from hiring illegal immigrants. The hang-up — as it has been for months — is over how to check a worker's documentation. Rep. Jim Harrison told his Senate counterparts during negotiations that the House would not agree to the plan unless the federal I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification Form was removed as an acceptable method of checking a worker's legal status. He placed new demands on the Senate to set a higher standard for its worker verification. "We don't believe that's unduly harsh," said Harrison, R-Columbia. Legislators have faced intense criticism from Americans Have Had Enough Coalition and other groups. Roan Garcia-Quintana, executive director of the coalition, organized a rally and called on his members to put pressure on the legislators. "I am totally impressed that they have actually stood up," said Garcia-Quintana, a candidate for a Senate seat representing Greenville County. "It seemed like what they wanted to do was try to trick 'we the people.' We prefer no bill than a bill that is misleading." Sen. Chip Campsen, R-Isle of Palms, opposed the inclusion of the I-9 form when the Senate initially debated the issue in mid-February. He wanted private employers, like public ones, to use only South Carolina driver's licenses or the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's E-Verify system. Critics argue the I-9 forms create a loophole because the federal government fails to check whether the Social Security numbers and names provided for I-9 forms are valid. But the S.C. Chamber of Commerce balked at the removal of the use of the I-9 form, pointing to reliability issues with the alternative for worker verification, E-Verify. "The important thing about the I-9 is, they are the accepted form at the federal level; therefore, they should be at the state level as well," said Marcia Purday, vice president of communication for the chamber. Senate lead negotiator Jim Ritchie, R-Spartanburg, said Wednesday he will take the demands back to his colleagues before the conference committee meets again. "The Senate has been very clear that we don't want to set a trap for private employers," Ritchie said. The reliability concerns ultimately led the Senate to give private employers the option of using E-Verify or the I-9 form in its final version of the bill. It designated felony charges for employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants. The House's version of the bill, finalized in late January, did not address standards for private employers. Campsen and Ritchie have been working on a separate bill that would allow the state to suspend and ultimately revoke business and professional licenses for employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants. In addition to the worker verification standards, the illegal immigration reform plan asks the federal government for the right to enforce federal immigration laws, requires jails to verify the nationality of prisoners and gives workers the right to sue if they are replaced by illegal workers. The bill would make it a felony to harbor or transport an illegal immigrant while offering protection to churches, health care workers and nonprofits in humanitarian efforts, among other provisions. Reach Yvonne Wenger at (803) 799-9051 or ywenger@postandcourier.com. Read the House Republican Caucus statement on immigration reform legislation. |
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Comments
This article has 35 comment(s)
Posted by BillytheKid on April 17, 2008 at 2:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I could give a crap what the idiots come up with, I9 is the standard and no action, by McConell and friends, works like the whole SC goverment is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are last at everything because we elect the same a##es to make the same dumb choices.
It is so time to change the way we do things.
Posted by Paul on April 17, 2008 at 4:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Remember this at election time ...
Posted by BKLYNIRISH on April 17, 2008 at 5:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"Remember this at election time."
This is what I will remember at election time: "He placed new demands on the Senate to set a higher standard for its worker verification."
Somebody had the guts to not only realize but publicly acknowledge that the I-9 verification is hardly worth the time. Good for them!
Posted by BKLYNIRISH on April 17, 2008 at 6:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
""The important thing about the I-9 is, they are the accepted form at the federal level; therefore, they should be at the state level as well," said Marcia Purday, vice president of communication for the chamber. "
It is the "federal level" that has this system broken right now. It is astounding that Ms. Purday would consider the "federal level" the acceptable standard.
Posted by NativeSon on April 17, 2008 at 6:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
COWARDS
Posted by BKLYNIRISH on April 17, 2008 at 6:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"COWARDS"
I take it you are referring to the folks that wanted to put into place the worthless piece of legislation that "died."
Posted by justmyview on April 17, 2008 at 7:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This immigration issue reminds me of the expression, "After all is said and done, more is said than done."
Posted by crankyyankee on April 17, 2008 at 7:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
They need to have another meeting. Definition of a meeting, "where the minutes are kept and the hours are lost"!
Posted by singleroni on April 17, 2008 at 7:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
politicians sit back and watch us drown, they dont care, they all have their own personal agendas , they are in it for the money, it is a business for them, they will do nothing unless it lines their pockets. don't expect any help. i agree they are all cowards and are no less than the federal govt. we must have some kennedys and grahams in the state govt.
Posted by JohnS on April 17, 2008 at 8 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The IRS Employer E says it's up to the employer to make sure the employees identity is vaild. They give info about how to match the social security numbers used and to check if they are valid with the name on the card. The give the E verify number for this. They say it's free to use. I don't know why they can't just use this as the standard if the Gov says to use it.
Posted by ColdBeer on April 17, 2008 at 8:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Immigration reform that does not address going after the people that employee illegal aliens is just a waste of time, paper and money.
I agree that this needs to be done right the first time. Go after the employers strongly enough and you will solve the problem.
The I-9 is the best we have right now. Not to include its use is just plain silly and irresponsible.
Posted by charlene68 on April 17, 2008 at 8:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I told everyone it was to weak to enforce..... they need to sit down and come up wit ha real plan.
Posted by jerrytj1 on April 17, 2008 at 8:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
IT JUST MAKES ME SICK THAT THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING TO STOP EMPLOYERS FROM HIREING ILLEGALS! THAT IS ALL THEY WOULD HAVE TO DO IS MAKE EMPLOYERS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PEOPLE THEY HIRE! IT IS DONE ALL THE TIME EVERYWHERE!! WE DRUG TEST, BACKGROUND CHECK, REQUIRE ALL SORTS OF PROOF THAT THEY CAN DRIVE OR WHATEVER! BUT TO SEE IF THEY ARE REALLY HERE LEGALLY, WELL THEN..NO NO WE DON'T WANT THAT, BECAUSE THEY MIGHT FIND OUT WE ARE HIREING SOMEONE THAT WE KNOW IS ILLEGAL AND BLAME US AND WE WOULD HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE!!!THATS WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO! THESE EMPLOYERS WHO LOBBY OUR GREAT ELECTED OFFICALS WITH WHATEVER PERK IS NESSESAY TO TO GET THEM TO SEE THINGS THIER WAY!!! AND SO THE ILLEGALS KEEP ON COMING AND FILLING OUR SCHOOLS AND HOSPITALS AND JAILS WITH PEOPLE THAT SHOULD NOT BE HERE ANYWAY AND THE EMPLOYER GETS OFF SCOTT FREE, BECAUSE..WELL WE ARE NOT REQUIRED TO DO THIS OR THAT...IS NOT A MATTER OF CONCIOUS THEN, CAUSE THEY LIE TO THEMSELVES AND SAY..WELL I DIDN'T KNOW OR WE DON'T HAVE TO.....THEY MAKE ME SICK! THEY ARE THE SAME AS ANY LAWBREAKER BUT THEY ARE IMMUNE BECAUSE OUR GUTLESS WONDERS OF ELECTED OFFICALS DON'T CARE, THEY ARE GETTING PAID NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, THEY ARE GETTING THE FREEBEES AND THE EXTRA SUPPLIED BY THE LOBBYEST, MEAN WHILE OUR HOSPITAL AND SCHOOLS ARE FORCED INTO RAISNG PRICES OR LEGITIMATE AMERICANS DO WITHOUT BECAUSE WE ARE OUT OF MONEY FOR HAVING TO SUPPORT A PEOPLE WHO ARE STEALING THE SERVICE FOR FREE AND PAY NOTHING!!! IT IS THE KIND OF DISEASE THAT HAS INFECTED OUR WHOLE POLITICAL SYSTEM! ONCE ELECTED THEY ARE HOME FREE, LITEARLY TAKEN CARE OF THE REST OF THIER LIVES. THEY HAVE KNOW IDEA WHAT IT IS LIKE TO LIVE DAY TO DAY WEEK TO WEEK, SO HOW CAN THYE KNOW HOW WE FEEL. THEY SHOULD HAVE TO LIVE ON WHAT WE DO, NO MORE NO LESS FAT CATS GETTING FAT OFF OF THE STARVING STRUGGLING MASSES THAT PUT THEM IN THE LAP OF LUXURY, FAR, FAR FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWDS THAT CALL OUT FOR JUSTICE, WHILE THEY TURN THIER BACKS TO US....THE REAL AMERICANS. A DYING BREED OF ONCE PROUD HARD WORKING PEOPLE.
Posted by desspec on April 17, 2008 at 8:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Go to any work-site in the area and put on a blue INS ball cap ... work will stop for the day and the contractors who are promoting illegal immigration will be hit where it hurts.
Posted by wpc3iop on April 17, 2008 at 8:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Again our legislature fails to act on something that the people of this state want...we need to vote out every sitting member of our legislature and start over!
Posted by BKLYNIRISH on April 17, 2008 at 8:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"Go to any work-site in the area and put on a blue INS ball cap ... work will stop for the day and the contractors who are promoting illegal immigration will be hit where it hurts."
No, it won't, as the illegals have figured out how increasingly powerless municipal/county/state/federal law enforcement agencies have become in regards to battling the onslaught of these criminal invaders.
Posted by BKLYNIRISH on April 17, 2008 at 8:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"Again our legislature fails to act on something that the people of this state want...we need to vote out every sitting member of our legislature and start over!"
I believe the people want a stronger piece of legislation, and the General Assembly rightly put this one back on the shelf until it is tailored to where it needs to be.
Posted by give_me_a_chance on April 17, 2008 at 9:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Say the legislators get it “right” one day, who do you think is going to enforce the law?
According to what they have suggested the law would be enforced by local and state police…?
I’m sorry but do we have the resources to do such thing? Isn’t our police force busy enough with current crime volume in the low country?
This is not how we are going to solve this problem. This is just a waste of time.
We keep deporting people but they keep coming back.
The immigration system is old and broken and must be reformed to benefit our economy and protect our national security.
Posted by Early on April 17, 2008 at 9:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm confussed, seems this is a good thing. I-9 may be the standard but it doesn't work. SSN's are tossed around like candy between the immigrants. I think they need two forms of Identity, E-Verify as one and a drivers license or green card. Employers have used the excuse of I-9 and saying "I thought he was legal" but knowing full well he wasn't but, his fanny is covered. I applaud their efforts here.
Posted by OldSalt on April 17, 2008 at 9:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Excuses, excuses...talk, talk, talk...
Pass the current bill now and amend it later!
To quote John Madden, "(d)on't worry about the mule being blind. Just load the wagon!" We need to at least start loadin' the wagon with some of these folks NOW!
Posted by crankyyankee on April 17, 2008 at 9:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Irish, you are not from around here are you? These so called representatives aren't interested in solving the immigration issue or the poker issue or any other issue, as they could have gotten the legislation right years ago. Have you ever seen it take this long to pass a tax bill or a bill giving a pay raise to the State House? They are only interested in buying time until elections are over and the public forgets what they are mad about. Unless you have lived here for forty years or more you really don't grasp the ineffectiveness that is a lowcountry hallmark in our representation. Most third world countries have better leadership than South Carolina. Of course they will all be endorsed by this paper come election time. Go figure!
Posted by give_me_a_chance on April 17, 2008 at 9:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I like you crankyyankee, you're pretty funny.
Hey, what's a yankee?
Give up?
Same as quickie but alone...ha-ha =)
Posted by CountryGirl on April 17, 2008 at 10:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
BKLYN, I'll have to disagree with you on this. Maybe the INS ball cap won't work, but I've seen with my own eyes what happens when INS shows up at a job site "full blown" with black government cars, blacked out windows, lots of "suits"..."men in black" Ha!, and serious about why they are there. The job site may not completely shut down, but I have never seen so many people run like their life depended on it just at the site of these cars driving up. People were hiding in the woods, port-a-potties, equipment, drums, everywhere. The cool thing about it was that the people who had no reason to run just kept working. I wondered how they knew which ones were illegal, and I found out later that they didn't...they just arrested the ones that ran. Of course they knew of someone that was there illegally and that's why they came, but if they can catch the one they came for and get car loads more at the same time...why not?
The problem with this is...what to do with them when they are caught? They send them back and they come RIGHT BACK.
I know I didn't add any insight as to solve the problem, I just shared my experience. Maybe if pictures of these people who are caught with their so called "legal paperwork" was distrubuted to "like" companies...since some of these people are skilled...honest employees could screen...there are some honest companies out there. They don't need this headache either...the language barrier is a pain in the neck for them.
Since the government can't come up with a good idea, maybe we,the people, should brainstorm on this.
Posted by katrenavantassle on April 17, 2008 at 10:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
WALLYTOWNGRL just hit the nail on the head. It all boils down to the private business owner will save money if he hires the illegals at a lower rate... than paying a hirer rate to a local. ITS ALWAYS THE ALLMIGHTY DOLLAR.... BUSINESS OWNERS WONT get into trouble with the current laws if they "pretend" they didn't know they were illegal. At the most it will be a temporary shut down of that day on the jobsite for him...then the next day he will continue on as usual. I say that as THE "CONSUMER" IF YOU SEE A BUSINESS THAT YOU SUSPECT HIRES ILLEGALS, THE BOYCOTT THAT BUSINESS!!!! TELL ALL YOU KNOW TO BOYCOTT THEM TOO! WORD OF MOUTH IS STRONG!! SEND EMAILS OUT AND TELL ALL ABOUT THEM.
SAD, but it comes to the PUBLIC to stop this from happening...since the SC GOVERNMENT WONT DO ANYTHING. No wonder SC is lying at the bottom of the gutter. I simply refuse to do business with any company that I suspect uses illegal labor forces. PERIOD!!
Posted by bigwhip on April 17, 2008 at 10:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Once again our clowns in Columbia allow SC to drift down the state rating chain.A bunch of buffoons being bullied by the Chamber of Commerce and the business lobby.
Posted by give_me_a_chance on April 17, 2008 at 10:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What are you looking for a “texting” argument?
Don't make me go ALL CAPS on you!
I'll show you how many exclamation marks I can type at once!!
Someone please add raregar67 to the conversation, she feels left out...for she completely missed out on the message.
Posted by BKLYNIRISH on April 17, 2008 at 11:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Perhaps we can get back on the topic at hand?
Posted by KidYendor on April 17, 2008 at 11:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe it would be better just to make it a felony to work if you are an illegal and not charge employers. Then we take the arrested illegals to a C-17, load 'em up and drop them off in Mexico City, problem solved after the big fence is up.
Posted by snowbird on April 17, 2008 at 11:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think we need to do like Arizona is doing, Their illegals are packing up and going back to Mexico.. We need to get tough on them.. I think if you hire someone you know is not here lagally then you should pay the price..They after all broke our laws to come to our Country...So treat them like criminals. Thats what they are...
Posted by carolinadude on April 17, 2008 at 1:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
We should never vote for an incumbent lawmaker to return to columbia until they fix this problem w/e-verify.
Posted by mjbyars2 on April 17, 2008 at 2:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Boycott ALL corporations, no matter if it is Americans or illegals that they are hiring!!! We need to do away with this patriarchy, RIGHT NOW!!!
All corporations have done was exploit everyone, immigration status notwithstanding. Add to that, South Carolina has done ABSOLUTELY nothing to increase the wages of the legal workers in this country (the state only pays its workers $5.85 currently, as mandated by the federal government). But yet, the hacks in Columbia have done exactly what the Republican Party did in 2003-2006 when they ruled Congress -- give themselves a pay raise.
And if you think that illegal immigration has been a big problem since 1987, think again.
Illegal immigrants have been coming here since October 14, 1492. Which means that Christopher Columbus was an illegal immigrant, like it or not. And anyone who isn't a Native American is in this country illegally.
Instead of all of these shenanigans, the feds should be doing its job and eliminate Columbus Day as a holiday and enforce immigration laws.
Posted by ImplantedYankee on April 17, 2008 at 11:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It's impossible to boycott every company. I needed a new roof last year. I couldn't find a single company that didn't hire Mexicans. Some of them didn't even an English speaker answering the phone. It bothered me, but I didn't really have a choice, and I have to say, I liked getting the roof for a third of what it would have cost otherwise. We wouldn't have this problem if we hadn't made it so expensive to hire Americans, making lots of jobs available to those whom will work for less. There is also some truth to the notion that they take jobs Americans will not. Is it any wonder? In this country, you can get more money sitting at home doing crack on welfare than up on a roof nailing shingles.
A cheap roof and some unclaimed income tax refunds in government coffers, however, probably can't make up for the estimated $300B illegals are estimated to cost or government every year. They don't keep me from waiting for hours and hours in the ER when I need stitches behind a long line of Mexicans with runny noses who aren't going to pay a dime. They don't keep me from feeling like a foreigner in my own country.
If we want to fix this, however, we might need to look inward for a solution first -- not outward.
And fence nothing! We need a minefield.
Posted by Thomas1776 on April 18, 2008 at 1:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The best thing South Carolina voters can do is vote people like McConnell and Harrell out of office. They stabbed us in the back and spit in our faces before doing it.
SC = good old boy system and still has old codgers in office that don't listen to nobody but their special interest. And thats a FACT!
Screw them all.
Posted by Thomas1776 on April 18, 2008 at 1:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Employers MUST be punished. McConnell and Harrell did not want to punish those who employ illegal criminal mexicans!
Posted by Delawarebob on April 18, 2008 at 2:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm not from the State of South Carolina, but I sure hope you get a law passed. It's the best thing you can do for your State and the residents of South Carolina...not to mention AMERICA. It's time we get our Country back and get these ILLEGAL ALIENS back to their home country.
Somehow, some way, the ILLEGAL ALIENS have got to learn that to enter this Country is a PRIVILEGE. It is NOT a right. No ILLEGAL ALIEN has the right to be in this Country!
I hope that soon all 50 States will step up to the plate and do what our Federal Government has FAILED to do...FREE OUR COUNTRY OF ALL THE ILLEGAL ALIENS!