Posted on 02/25/2008 12:18:09 PM PST by flattorney
- - Two-thirds of Florida voters say they want tougher government action against illegal immigration.
- - The Florida Legislature convenes March 4, 2008
And, on the surface at least, the Florida Legislature is responding. A dozen bills calling for stronger immigration enforcement and regulations have been filed in the Legislature this year - more than double the number last year. The movement is in step with dozens of other states, which are trying to confront illegal immigration themselves in the absence of federal reform. But in a state with the third-largest immigrant population in the country - an estimated 3.5 million - these bills already face resistance from business- and immigrant-advocacy groups.
And top leaders in state government are not showing much support, either. Gov. Charlie Crist and House Speaker Marco Rubio, who have been at odds on many issues, have shown no signs of pushing tougher immigration laws. "The agriculture and construction and hospitality industries in Florida would collapse without undocumented immigrants," said Rep. David Rivera, a Miami Republican and close friend of Rubio. "The prospects for success for these types of proposals are dim."
Some leading Republicans see a harsh stance on immigration as a losing position for the GOP, which has slipped in approval among the nation's fastest-growing voting bloc: Latinos, who now represent11 percent of registered voters. "Politicians that use this as a wedge issue, it's a loser," former Gov. Jeb Bush said of immigration in an October interview with The Hoover Institution. "To totally disarm a group that is the only group that is growing in our country … we do it at our peril. It's wrong and it's stupid." (RINO, “Poppa Bush Cartel” Barf Alert – FlA)
The bills in Florida's Legislature would, among other things, penalize farmers and government contractors caught hiring undocumented workers, place stricter regulations on public benefits, and require local police to notify federal authorities after arresting illegal immigrants. Currently, certain regulations, such as having state contractors participate in a federal program to verify their employees' legal status, are voluntary. These bills seek to make them mandatory and allow Florida to levy penalties for violations. Supporters of the bills say they address the concerns of Florida voters, two-thirds of whom said in a December Quinnipiac University poll that they favor stricter enforcement of immigration laws over integrating illegal immigrants into the United States. The bills' supporters say stopping illegal immigrants from moving to Florida will save money for legal residents and citizens, and make competition more fair for businesses. "The state needs to level the playing field for lawful businesses," said David Caulkett, vice president of Floridians for Immigration Reform. "The frustration is just built up."
But Floridians' positions on immigration are not clear-cut. Exit polls in the state's Jan. 29 presidential primary showed that nearly 60 percent of voters would allow illegal immigrants to stay as temporary workers or gain a path to citizenship. Critics of the immigration bills say they would force businesses to increase wages and to pay more for benefits, which would make it difficult for them to afford workers and would raise prices for consumers. "People need to think very carefully about what they want because of the economic consequences," said Sheila Hopkins, associate director for social concerns at the Florida Catholic Conference. "In Florida particularly, we are very vulnerable because of agriculture and tourism being our two biggest industries."
Florida's influx of immigration bills this year follows a national trend. Nationally, the number of immigration laws adopted by states last year nearly tripled since 2006, from 84 to 240, according to a 2007 report by the National Conference of State Legislatures. (2008 will also be a record year – FlA) Most aspects of immigration policy, such as border control, are handled by the federal government (which has been a disaster under the Bush Administration and a McCain Administration will be substantially worse – FlA). Immigration debates in legislatures across the country largely focus on identification issues, such as driver licenses, employment and public health and education benefits.
The most comprehensive bill under consideration in Florida this year was modeled after a package adopted in Oklahoma last year (11 states including Florida are following Oklahoma’s lead – See my FR “Straight Talk” profile page for more info – FlA). The bill, filed by Rep. Don Brown, R-DeFuniak Springs, targets businesses who hire illegal immigrants and requires law enforcement to determine the legal status of those arrested for drunken driving or boating. It would also force local law enforcement to share information with federal agencies about the legal status of immigrants. Opponents say the legislation could result in racial profiling and discourage immigrants from reporting crimes. Proponents say it would encourage deportation of illegal immigrants.
Brown said he decided to focus on immigration after receiving a "vehement response" to an e-mail cartoon he forwarded last year that said, "Don't forget to pay your taxes on April 15. 12 million illegal aliens are counting on you." (He later apologized to legislators for the e-mail). "It became more apparent to me that there was a more of a problem there than I had realized," said Brown, adding that he does not expect his bill to pass easily. "Florida's not Oklahoma," Brown said. "It's going to be up to every member of the legislature to act according to their conscience and their constituency." Except for a bill to prohibit the use of the term "illegal alien" in state documents, all of the immigration bills in the Florida Legislature this year have been filed by Republicans, who control both chambers of the Legislature and the governor's office.
But in this demographically diverse state, one Republican legislator's illegal immigration crackdown is another's political minefield. "For some people this is a real winner, but for a lot of Republicans in this state immigration is not a real winner," said Rep. Keith Fitzgerald, D-Sarasota. "I just don't know if this is an issue the speaker and some of his closest allies want to see debated on the floor of the House."
Posted for FlAttorney by TAB
most politicians left the Citizens long ago...the Citizens just were not witnessing what was about to happen...now the Citizens are witnessing what is happening. It is up to the Citizens....do the Citizens want their nation or not? If the Citizens do want their nation, then the Citizens will have to take it away from the old media, the muslims, the illegals, the legislatures, our congress, the presidential candidate, the sitting president.....and on and on and on...This land belongs to the Citizens but the aforementioned are working overtime to take our nation away...whether or the Citizens allow this to happen is up to the Citizens....but here stands one Citizen (pitchfork in hand) ready to take them on.....How about you, fellow Citizen?
Jeb’s wife is a Mexican.
Anyone who conflates "illegal alien" and "immigrant" cannot be trusted on this subject. You know they are a liar, before you read anything else they write.
This state is already overrun with illegals from cuba, mexico, central and south America and some of the islands. Fidel’s nephews, the Diaz-Balart brothers, Ros-leighton and of course our senator mel martinez were solidly behind mcpain and his comprehensive illegal immigration package. We need to oust them and the log cabin governor and recycle the Supreme Court. Vote them all out.
You are correct. And a lot of these people are Republicans.
My guess is that most of those polled were democrats. One should also know that the Ledger is a NYT newspaper.
Yes most do, but they are asleep at the wheel and totally oblivious to the cloud of evil that has drifted over the world.
If the Citizens do want their nation, then the Citizens will have to take it away from the old media, the muslims, the illegals, the legislatures, our congress, the presidential candidate, the sitting president.....and on and on and on...
Obviously you are correct, but I fear it is a long shot - kind of like Robert E. Lee struggling to evade the Yankee swarms in the closing days of the Civil War.
This land belongs to the Citizens but the aforementioned are working overtime to take our nation away...whether or the Citizens allow this to happen is up to the Citizens....but here stands one Citizen (pitchfork in hand) ready to take them on.....How about you, fellow Citizen?
The figurative pitchfork is symbolic, but just about all that remains of a once proud people, who like the Cherokee Indians are being overwhelmed by a well organized foreign invasion.
That is the essence of "representative government". If they don't, they have no basis to lay claim to it being one.
Miami Beach’s tourist business depends a lot on prostitution. Why don’t we give the hookers amnesty.
I’m sure we will once pimps form a high $ P.A.C. Or not since they enjoy the government service of enforcing a black market monopoly just like the Columbian and Mexican drug companies, a.k.a. cocaine/heroin cartels.
We aren’t asleep, we’re working our asses off from Jan. through March to earn the money the government steals from us before we see a paycheck, then we’re spending the rest of the year trying to keep our kids from becoming promiscuously bisexual, PETA supporting, marxist, goverment dependants more concerned with the welfare of polar bears than thier class mates.
We have less than a year to purchase as many guns and ammo as possible before Obama outlaws private gun ownership. Get yours while the gettin is good because with the falling property tax revenues and the “huge” loss local governments will see because of amendment 1 passing the local fire cheif and cheif of police won’t be able to send responders when you’re house is burning or being invaded. They won’t be able to afford it because they are both breaking the bank by double dipping and collecting $5K a month in retirement benefits on top of a 6 figure salary and they have gotten used to a certain standard of living THEREFORE services must be cut unless taxes are raised, I mean more fees are assessed.
Romney MAY BE back in 2008 race.
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