Texas immigration bill has big exception

cnn.com ^ | 3/1/2011 | Mariano Castillo

[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.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks dragnet2.

Texas state Rep. Aaron Pena, a Democrat, said the exception is a wise one.

[dragnet2]

lol...Good find....

Please note who on this thread was going along with this BS scheme...

[netmilsmom]

>>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? <<

Good questions.

Sorry lurking, you are caught. You just don’t care if someone is illegal, just as long as the price is right.

[dragnet2]

Yep....I was suspecting that all along mom...

[netmilsmom]

And right you were!

[TexasAg]

I believe E-Verify is only for employers who have set up corporate accounts (not generally for homeowners with household employees). And individual housekeepers likely won’t have business licenses or city licenses. A recommendation by a neighbor is how lots of people find housekeepers. So while you could ask if someone is here legally, it would be difficult to verify. And you still haven’t answered the question about if someone would need to be there every week verifying whether the different individual lawnmowers or other workers who show up are here legally.

[netmilsmom]

That poster started by saying that he had difficulty using E-Verify. SO, either he is lying about using it, you are mistaken that it can only be used by businesses or he hasn’t checked at all.

[TexasAg]

Maybe you should have checked. It took 10 seconds to find this list of things you need in order to register for E-Verify:
* Company name
* DUNS Number
* Parent Organization
* Administrator name (E-Verify Corporate Account)
* The physical address of the location from which your company will access E-Verify (including county)
* Company mailing address
* Employer Identification Number (also called a Federal Tax ID Number)
* Total number of employees for all of you company’s hiring sites that will participate in E-Verify
* The first three digits of your company’s primary North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code
* The number of hiring sites that will participate in E-Verify in each state
* Contact information for your company’s E-Verify Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signatory (name, phone number, fax number and e-mail address)

How many households do you think have all of this?

[netmilsmom]

Oh, and really, if someone is using a lawn service, then it’s on the lawn service to verify legality. THAT is not a “homeworker”. A “homeworker” is someone who is employed by an individual.

Each should have a SS number that the employer is paying SS tax on.
Unless of course, it’s all under the table. Or the individual is not bothering to check the SS# and using the excuse “I didn’t know the person was Illegal”.

You know, like the elitist libs all do.

[TexasAg]

First, I cannot check the SSN of anyone since I can't enroll in E-Verify.

Second, I don't owe SS taxes unless I pay someone more than $1700. Surely you knew that before spouting off, though.

[SunkenCiv]

Mmm, please FReepmail me.

[netmilsmom]

Are you the original poster who said that it was too difficult to navigate E-Verify?

And yes, I do know. I have cleaned houses in the past. Figure it out, if a person earns 35 a week X 52 weeks in a year, THAT is over the limit.

But it’s so much cheaper to pay an illegal.

[TexasAg]

I have no idea how the other poster navigates E-Verify, unless he or she incorporated and tried to deal with it. As I said, it took 10 seconds to find the E-Verify website and find out what it takes to register. Perhaps you should do it, rather than asking me about the prior poster. And if a person pays someone $50 every other week, that wouldn’t be over the limit, and we still couldn’t verify their SSN.

[dragnet2]

Oh that's right, legitimate citizens must follow rules and laws...Or else....lol

The point here is legitimate businesses are able to provide licenses, city licenses, professional references, and prove they are insured/bonded...

Typical illegal aliens are NOT going to have these documents available.

All responsible homeowners ask for these basics documents which all legitimate business owners will be happy to provided you.

The worst thing you can do as a homeowner is have a person or people working on your private property, who are not insured/bonded with legitimate licenses.

[netmilsmom]

>>How many households do you think have all of this? <<

THE ORIGINAL POSTER SAID IT WAS TOO DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE E-VERIFY!!!
Which means he CAN use it, but won’t.

[TexasAg]

And you still insist that an individual cleaning houses and getting referral business would be licensed, bonded, and insured. They aren’t always (I’d bet rarely), whether that individual is white, black, hispanic, or martian.

[dragnet2]

And you still insist that an individual cleaning houses and getting referral business would be licensed, bonded, and insured. They aren’t always (I’d bet rarely), whether that individual is white, black, hispanic,

Excuse me, I am not insisting anything...

My point is, if you or anyone is stupid enough to have someone perform work on or in your private residence, who is not insured/licensed and or bonded, then they get what they deserve.

In addition, in America we have a thing called the rule of law for *everyone*, not just certain people.

[TexasAg]

THE ORIGINAL POSTER SAID IT WAS TOO DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE E-VERIFY!!! Which means he CAN use it, but won’t.

I don't care what the original poster said. I went to the E-Verify website and copied verbatim what it takes to register. You're the one insisting it's just laziness or greed that everyone doesn't use it to verify their home employees, that they're part of the problem, etc.

[netmilsmom]

>>I don’t care what the original poster said<<

Well, when you walk into the end of a long thread, and throw your opinion in without reading above your shining bit of wisdom, expect to have context thrown at you.

[dragnet2]

Let me ask you, as a homeowner, are you someone who invites people perform work on or in your private property without verifying if they are insured/licensed and or bonded?