Posted on 08/17/2007 6:16:27 AM PDT by RockinRight
Anne Arundel County officials said they will sever ties with government contractors that employ illegal immigrants, wading into controversial territory that has prompted lawsuits in other jurisdictions across the country.
County Executive John R. Leopold issued an executive order this week that will require businesses to sign an affidavit swearing they do not employ people living in the country illegally. Evidence that a company has hired illegal immigrants would constitute a "material breach of contract," allowing the county to drop the contractor from the job.
Leopold said the federal government "hypocritically" tolerates such practices, but Anne Arundel will not. "Any company that is complying with federal law and not hiring illegal immigrants will have nothing to be concerned about," said Leopold, a Republican.
(Excerpt) Read more at baltimoresun.com ...
Where in PG did you live?
It will be overturned on appeal.
AA County is turning into P.G. county.
This county executive is a Republican, but the motives on this issue are often mixed. It will be interesting to see how Dems in the county respond.
One of the most interesting facets of illegal labor is how union labor reacts. On a national basis unions appear to support illegal immigration because they see illegal immigrants as the future of organized labor. At the same time they are completely selling out rank and file union members on the principal issue unions are supposed to be fighting for, wages.
It will be interesting to see how long rank and file members will put up with being sold out. The unions will tell their members that immigration reform will fix this problem, but one only has to look at H1B visas to see that even legal imported labor can negatively affect wages.
From a political standpoint it is an opportune time to snag back some of the Reagan democrats.
Adelphi for a year, then Suitland (now possibly the most squalid suburb of DC) for 2 years, and then Lanham for 20 years.
I left a nice house on a beautiful lot, and it was paid for. My oldest son, who barely graduated from St. Mary’s School in Landover Hills, is handicapped and would not have made it in a Catholic High School. He spent a year at DuVal High School. Just by going to school daily, doing what little homework was assigned, and respecting his teachers, he was making the honor roll. My wife and I decided to split the county. No regrets, even with a new mortgage and a much longer work commute.
My son did have to repeat some classes, especially math. Anyway, it worked out well. My other 2 children went to Archbishop Spalding High School, which I love.
Do you work in DC?
Great tag line!
ping
I lived there behind the college, as it was still conservative. Kudo’s to AA County.
If the Feds won’t do it then WE WILL one city/county at a time.
This is exactly the type of thing that is discussed a few times in “The Federalist Papers”.
That the States would FOREVER retain their sovereignty, and if the Feds fell asleep at the wheel, the States could do it.
And nothing here that the states are doing violates federal law. 8 USC 1320?? is the law that talks about harboring aliens, aiding and abetting their illegal entrance, etc.
As far as federal powers in this area, it amounts to one:
To Establish UNIFORM RULES OF NATURALIZATION.
Not to administer.
To establish.
Maybe we should move to AA County honey.
I guess when I think of AA County I think of Annapolis, which is as blue as any town in Murlin
Demands from "The Peoples' Platform for Immigration Reform" (NYC)
Immediate Legalization: The over 14 million undocumented immigrants in the US deserve a fair, simple, non-punitive and immediate path to legalization. We reject any program that: • Distinguishes amongst immigrants with “tiers”—which will lead to mass deportations • Places undocumented immigrants “at the back of the line,” when we have already contributed to the US for years • Penalizes and places undue burdens on immigrants for past immigration cases, ex: not enrolling in “Special Registration” • Forces immigrants to pay thousands of dollars in fines and fees, penalizing us despite making up the backbone of the economy and living in poverty from low-wage sector jobs • Forces us through bureaucratic hoops that limit our opportunity to legalize, ex: Employer sponsorship, English, and requirements to “touch base”/return home Protecting Our Families, Our Future Global economic pressures continue to force workers to migrate.
New immigrants must have opportunities to legalize without requirements that exploit workers. For a lasting solution, new immigration laws must: • Include fair, simple, permanent and non-punitive paths to legalization in any guestworker programs—requiring immigrants to return home without the opportunity to settle or right to change jobs is exploitative and will only create a new class of undocumented workers • Expand fair, simple and non-burdensome legalization provisions for relatives, extended families, and domestic partners so that communities can be reunited and whole • Clear backlogs immediately, which urgently requires that USCIS increase personnel to process new and old applications • Change foreign policy (military, political and economic) which creates global migration, especially to the US End the Human and Civil Rights Crisis At the borders and in our cities, homes and workplaces, immigrants increasingly face expanded detention and deportation which tears our communities apart, in the face of limited legal process.
In the name of civil and human rights, the broken immigration system must be repaired to: • Ensure human rights and end the militarization of our borders so that over 400 people do not continue to die every year crossing the border • End the detention system which uses taxpayer money to profit private prison corporations; create humane alternatives to detention • End deportations in order to keep families together • End immigration enforcement practices and its climate of fear; stop religious and racial profiling through the Department of Homeland Security’s collaboration with state, local, and federal police, as well as public agencies • Stop eroding human and civil rights through enforcement and criminalization Fix the Broken Immigration System by Repealing Unworkable, Unjust Laws Decades of unjust immigration laws have created a crisis in immigrant communities, forcing millions of families to separate. Several laws must be repealed or modified: • Implement a moratorium on detentions and deportations during the waiting period for a new legalization program.
Repeal the REAL ID Act as unworkable and unfairly targeting immigrants—provide access to drivers licenses for all • Repeal the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, which has deported 1.5 million green card holders since 1996 due to minor criminal convictions for which time has been served • End expedited removal, mandatory detention & deportation, and unfair adjudication of immigration claims, which systematically neglect due process • Stop indefinite detention based on the Military Commissions Act, which violates international human rights law • All immigration-related legal processes must ensure due process and a fair trial, including meaningful access to courts, right to counsel, right to know the charge against them, and right to a fair bond. End secret trials, secret detentions, and secret arrests • End selective enforcement of laws, including immigration laws based on race, HIV status, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, national origin, religion, speech or belief • Protect right to privacy and right to be free of unreasonable searches and seizures; uphold constitutional limits on surveillance • Repeal naturalization and travel bans for people living with HIV • Humanize the asylum process, and provide refugees with immediate access to social services Full Worker Rights for Immigrants Immigrants, undocumented and documented, deserve full labor rights. Immigration and labor policy must: • Enforce existing labor laws that protect immigrant workers • Repeal employer sanctions (from the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act & others) and punitive electronic worker verification systems • End raids, penalties and restrictions on licensing which hurt formal and informal workers, street vendors, and small, immigrant businesses • Grant equal pay for equal work and stop dividing citizen and immigrant workers by forcing workers to sell their labor to the lowest bidder • End the use of “No-Match” letters, which is a de facto immigration enforcement tool—the IRS and ICE must not collaborate to arrest and cause termination of immigrant workers Immigrants in our Communities Local and State governments must stand up to protect the rights of constituents through active legislation that protects immigrants through non-cooperation with unjust federal laws. City, state or other government agencies must not be used to enforce immigration laws.
The blogger's profile also links to a site titled "NY United for Immigrant Rights" and claims to be composed of more than 60 organizations in the NY Meto area:
Ad Hoc Coalition for Justice in the Middle East, AFSCME Local 375 of District 37, Al-Awda, American Friends Service Committee, Arab Muslim American Federation, Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund, Asocacion Tepeyac, Audre Lorde Project, Center for Constitutional Rights, Centro Altagracia de Fe y Justicia, Center for Immigrant Families, COALITION OF IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES: Acción Comunitaria Aurora, New York Civic Participation Project, Riverside Edgecombe Neighborhood Association, Iglesia San Romero de Las Americas-UCC, Alianza Dominicana, Coalición por los Derechos del Inmigrante, Asociación de Egresados de la UASD, Asociacion de Mujeres Progresistas, Centro para el Desarrollo de la Mujer Dominicana, Caucus de Mujeres Dominicanas, Congreso Dominicano, la Voz Latina, Servicio de Educacion Basica, Programa de TV Hechos y Gente, Programa la Voz Latina WBAI, Comision Nacional de Derechos Humanos (USA-RD)// Coney Island Avenue Project, Esperanza del Barrio, Families for Freedom, Greater NY Labor/Religion Coalition, IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES IN ACTION: Adhikaar, CAAAV- Organizing Asian Communities, Centro Hispano Cuzcatlan, Damayan Migrant Workers Association, DRUM- Desis Rising Up & Moving, Forest Hills Community House, Humanist Center of Cultures, Ugnayan ng mga Anak ng Bayan // Immigrant Justice Solidarity Project, International Socialist Organization; Latin American Integration Center; Justice Committee; MAY 1st ALLIANCE: Anakbayan, NY/NJ,Association of Senegalese in America,BAYAN USA Philippine New Patriotic Alliance,CASA Freehold, NJ,Chris Silvera- Pres. National Teamsters Black Caucus, Sec.-Treas. Teamsters Local 808, Comite Latino Local 79, Ecuador Para Todos-Lenin Medina,Freeport Community Worklink Center- Long Island, Guyanese-American Workers United, New York, NY,International Action Center,Justice 4 Immigrants Filipino Coalition, La Peña del Bronx, Million Worker March, New York Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines, NYC Working People’s Voice Newspaper, Pachamama NYC, Pakistan USA Freedom Forum, Panama Vicente Alba- LIUNA Local 108, Philippine Forum,Nodutdol, Rev Luis Barrios- Iglesia San Romero de las Ameritas, The Workplace Project, Trabajadoras por la Paz, Troops Out Now Coalition// No One Is Illegal (NOISI) Coalition, Mercy Center, Northern Manhattan Immigrant Rights Coalition, NY Committee to Free the Cuban Five, Parents in Action, United For Peace and Justice/ NYC, Urban Justice Center, Workers World Party, World Can’t Wait.
The County Executive replied via return e-mail favorably to my e-mail in support of his executive order.
Pretty responsive!
sitetest
bump
I worked in Suitland. Now I am in Bowie. Short commute down Route 3 for me.
FWIW, I lived in several areas in Prince Georges County where there was an abundance of affordable housing (and an abundance of crime, lousy public schools, trash, high taxes, etc.). When we moved I insisted that we get into an area where there was little/none of the affordable housing. So far, so good. My house has yet to be broken into (like in Prince George’s County), no neighbors have been marched back to their homes with a gun to their back from the local 7-11 (like in Prince George’s County), and I am no longer awakened at 2 AM by those wishing to share their music with the locals as they drive by my house (like in Prince George’s County). So far my social conscience has not bothered me because I moved to get away from the problems. I don’t expect it to in the future.
Unfortunately, I will be noted as white flight. My Black neighbors were also fleeing the area. I doubt that their actions will be socially noted.
It’s kinda sad, isn’t it? If you’re white and wish to leave a bad neighborhood, it’s “white flight.”
If you’re Black, it’s “moving up” and it’s celebrated.
Our corporate office relocated from Suitland to Hyattsville recently.
Re: “Affordable housing.” You get what you pay for!
Sad part is that we got along with our neighbors, black and white. We looked out for each other. Schools/Crime/Taxes drove out the best of the block, if I might brag a bit.
We spent a bit of time in Hyattsville. My youngest played sports in the Washington CYO (Catholic Youth Organization). A lot of Baseball games were played at Magruder Park. Often went to Saturday evening Mass at St. Jerome’s during Basketball Season when St. Mary’s played St. Jerome’s. Also we checked out DeMatha High for him. Great school, but getting him there would have been a problem for us, although others in our general area Gambrills/Crofton have kids at DeMatha.
Who do you work for? A gov’t agency?
No, private sector. I work for a mortgage company in Baltimore County. A mortgage company that is doing well despite the recent credit mess - we don’t mess with much subprime or unverifiable income stuff.
My fiance (wife on Sept. 1) works for a government agency in DC.
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