Posted on 03/01/2011 9:40:25 PM PST by dragnet2
Amid a number of bills filed in Texas that address the issue of illegal immigration, one, proposed by Republican state Rep. Debbie Riddle, stands out.
As proposed, House Bill 2012 would create tough state punishments for those who "intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly" hire an unauthorized immigrant. Violators could face up to two years in jail and a fine of up to $10,000.
But it is an exception included in the bill that is drawing attention. Those who hire unauthorized immigrants would be in violation of the law -- unless they are hiring a maid, a lawn caretaker or another houseworker.
It is a tough immigration bill with a soft side that protects those who hire unauthorized immigrants "for the purpose of obtaining labor or other work to be performed exclusively or primarily at a single-family residence."
Texas state Rep. Aaron Pena, a Democrat, said the exception is a wise one.
"With things as they are today, her bill will see a large segment of the Texas population in prison" if it passes without the exception, he said.
"When it comes to household employees or yard workers, it is extremely common for Texans to hire people who are likely undocumented workers," Pena said. "It is so common, it is overlooked."
The Texas legislature convenes only once every two years, so Texas has not passed tough anti-illegal immigration laws like some other states. The result has been that unauthorized immigrants in those states are relocating to Texas, Berman said.
Riddle did not return repeated calls for comment. Her office said she would not comment on the bill because it could still be modified.
In a interview with the Texas Tribune, Riddle's chief of staff, Jon English, explained that the exception was to avoid "stifling the economic engine" in Texas.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Has it occurred to you people are *repeatedly* told to check the references, and business licenses of those how come on to your property to perform work?
Do you know why all responsible homeowners do this?
In addition, how do homeowners who use low wage illegal labor generally come into contact with these people? I know, do you?
Do homeowners pickup legal, legitimate employees at illegal alien sanctuaries like Home Depot?
It's not difficult to check references. But, that doesn't guarantee that they are citizens or legal aliens with a green card.
In addition, how do homeowners who use low wage illegal labor generally come into contact with these people? I know, do you?
I presume you are referring to day labor centers (at least in my city). But, I'm not talking about picking up random people and paying them cash under the table. I'm referring to household cleaning, lawn maintenance, and household repair that is done on a repeating basis. These are independent contractors, who get most or all of their customers from referrals.
You can avoid a lot of these issues by dealing with a "service". But, these employees rarely get more than minimum wage, and the turnover is very high: you never know who is going to show up that week.
IF YOU CROSS THE NORTH KOREAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET 12 YEARS HARD LABOR.
IF YOU CROSS THE IRANIAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU ARE DETAINED INDEFINITELY.
IF YOU CROSS THE AFGHAN BORDER ILLEGALLY, YOU GET SHOT.
IF YOU CROSS THE SAUDI ARABIAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE JAILED.
IF YOU CROSS THE CHINESE BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU MAY NEVER BE HEARD FROM AGAIN.
IF YOU CROSS THE VENEZUELAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE BRANDED A SPY AND YOUR FATE WILL BE SEALED.
IF YOU CROSS THE CUBAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE THROWN INTO POLITICAL PRISON TO ROT.
IF YOU CROSS THE U.S. BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET !!!
A JOB, A DRIVER’S LICENSE, SOCIAL SECURITY CARD, WELFARE,
FOOD STAMPS, CREDIT CARDS, SUBSIDIZED RENT OR A LOAN TO BUY A HOUSE,
FREE EDUCATION, FREE HEALTH CARE, A LOBBYIST IN WASHINGTON, BILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF PUBLIC DOCUMENTS PRINTED IN YOUR LANGUAGE
THE RIGHT TO CARRY YOUR COUNTRY’S FLAG WHILE YOU PROTEST THAT YOU DON’T GET ENOUGH RESPECT
AND, IN MANY INSTANCES, YOU CAN VOTE.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I HAD A FIRM GRASP ON THE SITUATION !!!
IT’S TIME TO WAKE UP AMERICA !!!!!!!!!!!!
THAT is exactly what I thought.
This lawmaker wants to keep her house slaves.
>>Has it occurred to anyone that this exception is intended to protect homeowners that don’t have the resources to check out a potential employee?<<
HUH?!?
Remember Elizabeth Smart? Somebody better be checking on who he/she hires!
If they don’t have the resources, how do they hire a “houseworker” for heaven’s sake?!?
Yup, I agree.
Checking references is easy, especially if you are hiring someone recommended by a friend.
Figuring out if they are in the US legally is another matter.
Nope.
Makes sense.
Don’t want to bust granny for hiring an illegal alien handyman.
Compromising principles regardless of consequences..
Compromise and profits regardless of consequences, has all but left America dead on the floor.
Checking for business licenses, to see if they are fully insured and bonded is easy as ANY legitimate company will be happy to provide that to you.
That is unless you get your contractors and help from illegal alien sanctuaries like the parking lot of Home Depots.
I figured that you would eventually descend into an ad hominem attack.
Thanks for doing it sooner rather than later, so that I know to put you on my list of posters to ignore.
>>Figuring out if they are in the US legally is another matter.<<
Personally, for the safety of my children, I would spend the bucks to find out.
Perhaps if you don’t have the money, you should not be hiring “homeworkers”.
Hear about this?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2681673/posts
She had references.
My kids are old enough to take care of themselves, and out of the house.
Perhaps if you don’t have the money, you should not be hiring “homeworkers”.
It's not about money. It's about being actually able to do it. Have you even tried to use E-Verify?
You are so busy jumping to conclusions, you aren't even considering that there are legitimate reasons why the typical individual can't comply with this kind of mandate.
My housekeeper was referred to me by a friend, after she had working for him for years. Is she in the country legally? Since she grew up in Oklahoma and her skin is fairer than mine, she most likely is. But do I know for sure? No.
Had I instead contracted with a housekeeping service, they would likely have sent me someone that didn't speak English. And it would have been a different person every week. And I wouldn't have been able to trust them. I know all these things because my former housekeeper worked for one of those services for a short time. She left and went out on her own because she was only paid minimum wage and the service charged 3-4 times that to customers.
I contracted with a lawn service on the same basis: a recommendation from a neighbor for whom they worked for years. Do I know that they verify the citizenship or legal status of every person? No. Do I care? No, because they never set foot in the house.
The point of this exemption is to avoid imposing a heavy burden on individuals that have person-to-person contractual relationships to provide service in and around the home, and concentrate instead on employers that have the resources to verify employee's citizenship or resident status.
As someone else has pointed out, this can be abused by the day laborers that hang out at Home Depot -- or in my case, at a center set up by the city specifically for that purpose. But, rather than hassling individual homeowners, periodic visits to these locations to check on the people waiting for jobs would be a lot more efficient.
Attack? Get real
I noted you completely evaded my comments in response to your post to me.
See my tagline.
When you effectively accused me of hiring people from the parking lot of Home Depot, you attacked me.
See my tagline.
And that's another ad hominem attack.
I don’t have to jump to anything. You waved a red flag above it when you easily stated, “Do I know that they verify the citizenship or legal status of every person? No. Do I care? No, because they never set foot in the house.”
Me, me, me. The rules apply for thee but not for me.
YOU are part of the problem. You don’t care at all whether or not you hire illegals. If you did, you would check. It’s just tons easier to stick your fingers in your ears and go lalalala. You know that no one is gonna check so hey, why not?
Cause otherwise, you would have to clean your own house and mow your own lawn.
Awwwwww.
I pray this law goes national. Then you WILL have to learn to navigate E-Verify or do your own work. You don’t strike me as being unintelligent. If you can’t work E-Verify, not won’t but can’t, perhaps you should hire someone who can.
If you have enough money to have a housekeeper and lawn service, you certainly have enough money to hire a lawyer to sift through it for you.
That is if you cared at all.
Excuse me, but you are the one that morphed the argument into "It's for the children". I see now that was just a red herring: it's not "for the children", after all?
YOU are part of the problem. You don’t care at all whether or not you hire illegals. If you did, you would check.
And you aren't listening: I CAN'T CHECK!
I can check references by calling previous customers. But, I can't verify citizenship status through without incorporating a business and filing all the paperwork to become an "employer" with the resources to perform those checks.
And do you want me to stand outside every week and check every single new guy that shows up with the crew to mow my lawn? Do you have a clue what you are demanding?
Cause otherwise, you would have to clean your own house and mow your own lawn.
Has it ever occurred to you that I might not be able to clean my own house or mow my own lawn?
Oh, I see. It didn't.
You people are really sanctimonious fools.
How about you get a life, rather than harassing people that try to point out that the world isn't quite as black and white as you would like it to be?
It was not directed at you...”You” in my comment was generic in nature, and anyone capable of critical thought would understand that.
((wow))
Where do you get people who come onto your property to perform work at your private residence?
So what?
Where do you get people who come onto your property to perform work at your private residence?
Are you not capable of asking them for business licenses, city licenses, professional references, or to see if they are insured and or bonded? Ya think typical illegal aliens are going to have these documents available to provide you?
Why are you evading these simple questions?
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