House votes to revoke licenses of businesses that hire illegals

Arizona Daily Star ^ | 16 February 2004 | Howard Fischer

[JackelopeBreeder]

PHOENIX — Rejecting claims of ruin from business interests, the House Committee on Commerce and Military Affairs voted 8-4 Monday to yank the state licenses of companies that hire people not in this country legally.

The action came despite the claims by attorney David Selden who said HB 2448 would be the equivalent of imposing a death sentence on Arizona businesses who might run afoul of federal immigration laws. Selden, who lobbies for the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, said a better alternative to dealing with the problem of illegal immigration would be to enact a guest worker program.

But that idea is not acceptable to people like Phoenix car dealer Rusty Childress, one of the leaders of the Protect Arizona Now initiative designed to cut government services for people not here legally. He said there is no need for yet another program to bring low-wage workers into this country.

HB 2448 would require the state Attorney General's Office to suspend for six months any state-issued permit, license, certificate or charter of any company that is found guilty of violating any federal law or regulation on the hiring those not entitled to be employed in this country. A second violation would mean permanent revocation.

Selden said most employers try to comply with federal immigration laws. But he said they find themselves stuck on one side with a host of requirements of what documents they need to check while also risking discrimination complaints for being overly aggressive in investigating the paperwork of Hispanics.

"Many of these infractions that are alleged are hyper-technical, record keeping kinds of infractions," he said. "The solution is not to hold this guillotine over the head of Arizona employers as they try to compete in the global economy and try to compete with businesses in other states."

But Rep. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, who is the sponsor of the legislation, said of Selden and others who showed up to oppose the bill are worrying about nothing. He said businesses are not sanctioned by the federal government — the trigger for losing a state license in this bill — for inadvertent mistakes.

He drew support from Rep. Olivia Cajero Bedford, D-Tucson. She said the problem isn't companies being presented with false documents but firms that never bother checking legal residency at all.

Rep. Bill Konopnicki, R-Safford, voted against the bill, calling it "a very punitive, unnecessary measure."

The measure still must survive the House Committee on Federal Mandates and Property Rights if it is to go to the House floor.

[JackelopeBreeder]

This is going to be fun to watch.

[JackelopeBreeder]

Ping!

[cripplecreek]

It's certainly a step in the right direction.

[Scenic Sounds]

HB 2448 would require the state Attorney General's Office to suspend for six months any state-issued permit, license, certificate or charter of any company that is found guilty of violating any federal law or regulation on the hiring those not entitled to be employed in this country. A second violation would mean permanent revocation.

If this statute is only triggered by a successful Federal prosecution, it may be a waste of time unless the Federal government begins prosecuting these offenses.

[ikka]

What a great idea!

[JackelopeBreeder]

If this statute is only triggered by a successful Federal prosecution, it may be a waste of time unless the Federal government begins prosecuting these offenses.

This is just Step One.

Step Two is to pressure the Feds to do their job the way they are supposed to do it.

[Howie66]

YES!!!!

[upchuck]

'bout time!

The INS has said it is "impossible" to round up the 10 million or so Criminal Aliens and deport them. This is probably true (but only because the damned INS didn't do their job to start with). So maybe we can solve the problem like this. If there are no jobs, maybe the Criminal Aliens will leave on their own.

[CoolGuyVic]

'If there are no jobs, maybe the Criminal Aliens will leave on their own.'

I sure hope so. But being the scum that illegals are, they'll probably riot in the streets demanding their "right" to work.

[DumpsterDiver]

claims by attorney David Selden who said HB 2448 would be the equivalent of imposing a death sentence on Arizona businesses who might run afoul of federal immigration laws.

Are we supposed to feel sorry for those "who might run afoul of federal immigration laws"?

I hope this law passes.

[Happy2BMe]

"PHOENIX — Rejecting claims of ruin from business interests, the House Committee on Commerce and Military Affairs voted 8-4 Monday to yank the state licenses of companies that hire people not in this country legally."

This is probably the best news I've heard since Saddam Hussein was captured.

It will send fear and trembling into every corrupt congressman and senator (of which there are multitudes) in our gubmint.

Let the games begin . .

[VRWC_minion]

Be afraid people. When the feds begin to void the ability of states to license they are taking a huge amount of power from the states to themselves.

No conservative should think this is a good thing.

[Ron in Acreage]

Great news bump.

[freeangel]

GOOD! Keep it going.

[CoolGuyVic]

When the feds begin to void the ability of states to license they are taking a huge amount of power from the states to themselves'

I believe this is Arizona doing this, not the feds.

[freeangel]

Then the states should have done it themselves.

[drlevy88]

This is Arizona's idea. They could repeal this bill as quick as it looks like it will pass.

[VRWC_minion]

Sorry, I'm tired. I'm still not so thrilled about company's losing there license over this. It means innocent people could suffer.