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Florida Senate Begins Immigration Debate
January 11, 2011
With immigration one of the top issues in the nation’s legislatures in the wake of last year’s Arizona law, a panel of Florida senators took its first steps Monday in crafting its own law to deal with those suspected of being here illegally.
The Florida Senate held a three hour meeting to gather information from homeland security officials, the state Department of Education, the Department of Corrections and the Department of Highway Safety on how both legal and illegal immigration affects the state. The meeting spurred no immediate plans for legislation, and was intended as a way to start people asking questions to learn about the issue, said Sen. Anitere Flores, R-Miami, who chaired the meeting.
“The most important thing that we want is input from all people from across the state of Florida, whether you’re on one side, the other side or as I suggested earlier, there’s probably 20 sides to the issue,” Flores said.
Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, has filed a bill addressing illegal immigration and in the House, Rep. Will Snyder, R-Stuart, is spearheading similar efforts. The issue became a major focal point in the governor’s and attorney general’s campaigns last year. Both Attorney General Pam Bondi and Gov. Rick Scott have said they are supportive of strengthening the state’s laws for removing illegal immigrants, though neither has put forth a specific proposal.
Snyder’s draft legislation would require police to check the status of suspected illegal immigrants during a lawful stop, require businesses to use the federal E-Verify database to check the status of new hires and subject illegal immigrants who commit crimes to harsher penalties than legal immigrants or U.S. citizens.
Bennett’s bill (SB 136) allows law enforcement officers during a lawful detention or arrest to ask for the detainee’s immigration documents if the officer suspects they may be in the country illegally. The bill, however, prohibits law enforcement from using race as a reason for checking the person’s documentation. The bill also penalizes legal aliens who refuse to carry their documentation, with a possible fine of up to $100 and a 20-day jail sentence.
Monday’s meeting contained little debate from lawmakers, but featured presentations from a variety of state and federal agencies about the impact of immigrants on the state.
Florida International University law professor Ediberto Rámon did caution lawmakers that he believed an Arizona-style law would be struck down by the courts and that it would be devastating to the state’s economy because it would turn off international tourists. He also said the state shouldn’t discount the positive economic impact immigrants have on the state.
“The business sector is reaping the benefit and then you see frustration as you see here at the state and the local levels,” Rámon said. “Frankly some of it is legitimate in terms of health care in the short term, in terms of education.”
Flores said no agenda has been set for the two other meetings that Senate President Mike Haridopolos has pledged to hold on the issue, but she said the next step would be to hear from some of the advocates.
Juan Chavez, a membership organizer for the Florida Immigrant Coalition, said he believes the Legislature does need to hear more about immigrants’ contributions to the state, but he also questioned whether lawmakers could put together a bill that did not have a racial component, despite pledges from legislators to do so.
“If they bring something similar [to Arizona’s law], it will be a good sign that they are ignoring Floridians,” he said. “And that’s basically a good sign to destroy the economy of the state. So we’d be basically legalizing racial profiling if they bring something similar.”
By Kathleen Haughney
The News Service Florida
Comments
6 Responses to “Florida Senate Begins Immigration Debate”
I am against this. Do they not know how bad Arizona hurting from this movement. The boycott’s and Business left Arizona and tourist and etc. It has brought Arizona economy down and Florida’s already hurting from oil spill and more devastation for the area would not be good. I love it when people give false information Illegal have no idea what FOOD STAMPS are there countries do not have them programs. They come to WORK to support there families not to get welfare and are you serious the food stamp application says are you legal alien if not your not eligible and if people here can hardly get help how do you think illegals can get it. lol One other point is this is God’s land he did not send us into this world with papers or borders or money this is all man made we have no rights to say who can be where. If we go back to the history books the Mexican were here with the Indians they lost to war right before the Sioux Native American’s. They were force to leave when they were here. So how can we tell them no. I feel it will bring racial profiling and I think people need to start being humble and stop say this is mine not yours and work to make this a better world!! Unless we work together as a Nation nothing going to get better. People are tired of the separation of Human Beings and be so heartless. I told my kids never to stop to that level and to respect all Human Being with Respect rich or poor! For Jobs I know a lot of young men that could be working but rather say there homeless collect food stamps and sit on there but and lazy instead of working. Come on stop all the Negative and Start working on better place to live regardless of a piece of paper. I am just tired of how bad a Human Being can be treated just because of there status. Only God has the right to Judge!!
In ALL CASES, those that have entered the United States illegally are illegal aliens.
A nation without borders is not a nation, it’s a free range, lawless territory. My tax dollars are paid to the government so that the US Government and State of Florida can engage in the business of governance, not the social welfare and financial support of people that are breaking the law just by being here.
If people want to come into this country, let them use the legal methods authorized and approved by our laws. If they want to break our laws, they should be apprehended and deported as swiftly as possible.
Illegal entry into our country is a drain on our treasure, in both money and American lives lost, and is one of the greatest threats to our national sovereignty. For Florida to allow this to continue within our state would be collective idiocy at the highest level.
Employers need to be held accountable. The Government needs to be accountable. The illegals, and the countries they come from need to be held accountable. And the citizens demand it.
This is a long-standing attack against our Nation. War by other means than bullets and bombs, but War just the same.
This isn’t a matter of whether immigrants will work hard…it is about getting them here LEGALLY! I have no problem with people immigrating to the USA, I do have a problem with them coming in illegally and using our resources, or worse, if they can do it so can the terrorists…and they know it!
Bob, Joel,
You can’t expect people in this country to have the dream of therir life fullfilled with minum wage jobs. We the American people has worked to bring wages up to accomidate a standard of basic living. Simply put, Food on the table, Roof over the Head, and Clothing on the back. Not Food Stamps, Paying Rent the rest of my life, and yes I will go to Wal-mart to get clothing if I have to.
You miss out on the Big Picture. These Illegals make Minimum Wage and qualify for Medicade (Free Health Care), we pay for, Food Stamps we don’t qualify for because we make $1000.00 a year more than they do. Oh! yes, most of the Tax collected in my county goes towards Education, where I have no kids in school, I can’t get a Loan, and can’t obtain two Socical Security Cards. Wake Up and smell the Roses, this has been going on since The Civil Rights Bills were passed. Never in this Country have you seen so many Illegals come here.
We have Hospitals closing there Doors, high Unemployment, and Please, Forced to learn another Language, the list goes on and on and on.
It’s not Racial, it’s putting America back on track. Try this in their Country.
How sad. This is simply not correct.
In most cases these people are doing a job that most people would laugh at you for asking them to do. I understand the problem but it has at least two sides. These people will work and do anything they’re asked to do. On the other side of the coin they will not be on your unemployment benefits for 99 weeks. Think about it, they will not be unemployed,they will find work.
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In fact, the American People won’t take a job with substandard wages. Illegals will and that is almost always below minimum wage.
In fact, Americans generally won’t take a job in place with substandard working conditions. Employers think they are getting away with it, but the illegal aliens they hire don’t know anything about OSHA. When OSHA does move, they could also prosecute, but OSHA is protecting the employers in this mess… not the people of the United States.
IF.. if the law is ever enforced, the illegal aliens will be deported and employers will have to pay a living wage and make the working conditions safe for the workers. We need to see the Immigration Law, and OSHA regulations enforced and then we will see a significant improvement in our economy.
In most cases these people are doing a job that most people would laugh at you for asking them to do. I understand the problem but it has at least two sides. These people will work and do anything they’re asked to do. On the other side of the coin they will not be on your unemployment benefits for 99 weeks. Think about it, they will not be unemployed,they will find work.