Posted on 12/03/2005 10:09:12 AM PST by John Jorsett
Lieutenant governor candidate Morris "Mo" Brooks is pushing a bill that would make it a crime for employers to hire illegal aliens. It also provides financial incentives for whistle-blowers to turn in violators.
The "Stop Employment of Illegal Aliens Act, would make it a felony to knowingly employ an illegal alien. Brooks calls it the "See Ya Act," playing off its acronym, SEIAA.
Brooks, a Madison County commissioner from Huntsville, said the recent shooting death of Huntsville police officer Daniel Golden and a rash of recent traffic fatalities in Huntsville caused by illegal immigrant drivers motivated him.
"It's been a growing series of events involving illegal aliens that has helped to educate me about the magnitude of the problem," Brooks said Friday. "Someone needs to take action and do something about it."
Efforts to reach state Hispanic leaders for comment were unsuccessful.
Brooks, who intends to ask the County Commission to endorse the bill Monday, said states must protect themselves because the federal government has failed to stop the influx of illegal immigrants.
"The cause of Alabama's illegal alien disaster is simple: Too many people hire illegal aliens despite their illegal status," Brooks said in a news release. "These people are motivated by personal profit and care not one twit about the damage their conduct inflicts on the rest of Alabama."
Penalties for each offense would include fines of up to $5,000, up to 10 years imprisonment, court costs and a "wage penalty" equal to whichever is greater: $5,000 or triple the profit made from hiring illegal aliens. The "profit" is the difference between the going wage for that job in the area and what the illegal immigrant was actually paid.
"If illegal aliens can't get jobs in Alabama, illegal aliens who are here will leave and illegal aliens who aren't here won't come. It's just that simple," Brooks said.
The bill does not specify steps employers must make to ensure the worker is in the country legally.
Russell Davis, an officer with the Homebuilders Association of Alabama, said there is no way for contractors to check the immigration status of everyone on a construction site.
"In a typical situation where someone hires a subcontractor and that sub winds up having an illegal alien on that crew, who's committing the felony?" he said. He called the bill an "overreaching" effort to deal with the problem.
Davis said some employers would be unfairly prosecuted because they didn't go far enough investigating the immigration status of a would-be worker.
"Some of these folks who are here illegally know how to work the system to fabricate documents," Davis said. "Is that a felony if he hires someone who has false credentials?"
Brooks said the bill is clear on what constitutes a violation. "The evidence must be such that the employer knows the person he's hired is an illegal alien," he said.
Exceptions are made for small, temporary jobs such as a homeowner hiring a yard man.
Mike Ward, vice president of governmental affairs for the Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber hasn't studied the bill enough to offer any comment.
Brooks will face at least two others in the Republican primary for lieutenant governor: former state treasurer George Wallace Jr., who sits on the Public Service Commission, and Birmingham attorney Luther Strange.
Former Gov. Jim Folsom Jr. has been mentioned as a possible Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor.
Bump!
Wasn't it in Alabama where an illegal alien managed to get "lifetime compensation" from a construction company? I always wanted to get the details of that, and find out how it connected with Workmen's Comp--or whether the judgement was outside the purview of WC.
Nothing would please me more than to see these employers in handcuffs being carted away to jail. And the sooner the better.
Adios amigos.
Excellent.
I wonder why no one proposes a law making it a felony to have an illegal alien as a member of a labor union? Same penalties, jail for the union bosses, ect.
I'm not yet convinced that the President is serous about addressing this problem at the federal level, but the various state and local governments can and should. I've often seen moonbat lefties sporting bumper stickers on their crappy cars that say - "If the people lead, then the leaders will follow". Of course, they're promoting their dingbat ideas, but we can and should co-opt that approach and use it to our own ends.
I prefer ¡Adios extranjero ilegal!
I would ABSOLUTELY love to see a similar law in Texas.
Nor should you be. The President and his staff, and even the head of the RNC, are all talking amnesty for illegals and only faking any moves to secure the border and deport illegals.
It pains me to say that the bigwigs at the DNC and RNC are both intent on selling America out to Mexico. They don't give a good gosh darn what Americans want.
This is why the RNC is getting nothing but Nada Pesos from me and mine until they straighten up and do the right thing.
Double dittos for Kollyfornyuh!
So the parking lots will be full of Illegals. Good, easier to round them up. Bad, things could get uglier as Illegals compete for these "yard man" jobs.
Good for Alabama, double bad for Florida as Latino wedded Jeb would never sign off on such a bill. So, many of those illegals now in Alabama will be moving here to Florida.
^
The sub.
If you hire a subcontractor, they are responsible for all things and persons (including subs to the subcontractor)performing on a contract.
Geez, I'm not a lawyer and I can answer that question, dumb@$$. The sub-contractor. Nice try at a red herring.
"If illegal aliens can't get jobs in Alabama, illegal aliens who are here will leave and illegal aliens who aren't here won't come. It's just that simple"
If only our national Republican leadership could understand this simple logic. Actually, I think they do understand this logic, but they simply don't care.
Now you're talking BUMP!
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