Posted on 01/07/2008 4:42:50 PM PST by mdittmar
South Carolina's number one issue is immigration reform. That's according to House Speaker Bobby Harrell. He says there could be 75,000 illegal aliens residing in our state, 15 times as many as we had a decade ago.
After plenty of talk and only limited results, state lawmakers promise to move decisively on illegal immigration.
House Speaker Bobby Harrell says, "Our national borders remain wide open. It has become clear that if we want something done, we're going to have to do it ourselves. And states are recognizing this fact and they're acting. And laws they are passing are working."
Speaker Harrell says when the General Assembly re-convenes Tuesday, he'll push for quick action on what Republicans are calling "The South Carolina Plan."
The elements of the plan include an agreement with the federal government that allows South Carolina to enforce federal laws on the state level, a process to bill the feds for detainment of illegals charged with criminal acts, a crackdown on financial fraud, outlawing so-called "sanctuary cities," no public college admission or scholarships for illegals, and new restrictions on businesses that employ illegal workers.
House Majority Leader Jim Merrill says, "It is not knee-jerk or electioneering in any way. It is something that we've studied in depth and we will continue to do so and hopefully pass this legislation out this year."
This won't be the General Assembly's first brush with immigration reform. Over the past couple of years, four separate bills have passed the House, but none have made it into law.
Senators approved their own bill last April, legislation born out of a series of sometimes heated public hearings. The Senate bill never made it out of a House committee.
Orangeburg Senator Brad Hutto (D) is skeptical about this new effort from the other side of the lobby. "It's an election year. Immigration's a hot topic. We will pass an immigration bill. The day after it's signed into law, nothing is going to change in South Carolina, not until Congress deals with it effectively and comprehensively."
But Senate and House members agree, voters care about illegal immigration and lawmakers want to show they are listening.
Kudos to SC for addresing the illegal alien situation
Even FL statehouse is now discussing the issue...FL is probably the most pro-illegal state in the South, esp w so many illegals from all over the world here.
SC is doing the jobs American politicians wont do
fields full of tobacco, soybeans, corn & the new crops are cucumbers all the other vegetables.
I have been told they put the illegals on a bonus plan and if they pick or whatever and meet the days quota in the fields the farmers pays them as much as a skill craftsmen
and they have house trailers set up so the illegals can stay on the farms.
the politician are all liars. the sell out is complete.
this is the new South. these illegal immigrants are here to stay.
while I can appreciate states wanting to take on a role that the Feds refuse to do, I think they’d be better served by getting together with the other states in order to come up with uniform legislation if they’re going to go this route. It’d make it harder to challenge in the courts with every one on the same page and less likely to be overturned.
The illegal aliens are just "doing the jobs Americans won't do";)
I gotta hit the rack. Got up late for work today. Had to be in at 5AM. Did much physical labor and running around. Have to be back in again at 5AM. work work work. Brains shot.
Rest well.
You really do have an excellent idea.
Yet in spite of the problem with illegal aliens, Huckabee is leading in the state?
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