Jul

9

Will Ohio Take A Hint From Missouri?

July 9, 2008 |

A two year effort by Missouri is now signed into law. In addition to the below information the law also provides the opportunity to not recognize driver licenses from other states (ie… Like NY that likes giving illegals driver licenses). Bail is also deniable to those who cannot prove they are in Missouri (ie… legal in the US) legally. One of the nice features is that Troopers are also now able to enforce immigration laws.

One wonders in light of Ohio’s growing illegal problem whether this might be adopted here. Consider the following from Ohio where illegals stealing identities have obtained over $60,000 in workers compensation. It’s bad enough when people are here without being illegal. It only gets worse when they have false identities living off the public dole.

3 suspected illegal immigrants given $60,000 in workers comp benefits

On Thursday, June 12, Ricardo Ayala-Rojas, 18, of Harrison, was arrested for identity fraud, a fifth-degree felony, for allegedly using a Social Security number that belongs to a man living in West Virginia. The victim whose Social Security number was used has been contacted and he is now aware his identity was stolen, officials said.

The three arrested have received workers compensation benefits of almost $60,000, officials said. They have been identified as illegal immigrants and Immigration and Customs Enforcement also have placed holders on them for deportation.

Blunt signs bill designed to curb illegal immigration

A two-year effort to curb illegal immigration in Missouri came to fruition Monday as Gov. Matt Blunt signed legislation designed to catch illegal workers and punish their employers.

The bill contains a wide range of new requirements, including mandatory checks on the legal status of all public employees, welfare applicants and criminal suspects whenever they are jailed.

It also creates a state law prohibiting the issuance of driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants, enacts new penalties for transporting illegal immigrants through Missouri and empowers the state Highway Patrol to enforce federal immigration law.

It also empowers the attorney general to file civil actions against employers who hire illegal workers and allows the state to cancel contracts with such companies. Repeat offenders could lose their business licenses.

Many of the bill’s restrictions – such as a prohibition on welfare benefits – are already prohibited by federal law. And several other provisions were already enforced through policies that Blunt adopted last year.

But Blunt said the new laws created penalties for violations, eliminated ambiguities in the law and made certain that those policies would remain in force after his term ends in January. He predicted the changes would reduce the number of illegal workers in Missouri.

“This sends a message that as a state we take this seriously,” Blunt said. “We want to help legal immigrants integrate into our society. But this sets high standards, higher than other states, for curbing illegal immigration.”

Critics, however, said the law faced probable legal challenges from several quarters. Joan Suarez, chairwoman of Missouri Immigrant and Refugee Advocates in St. Louis, said civil liberties groups are bothered by a provision that appears to allow judges to deny bail for many defendants who cannot prove they are in Missouri legally.

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Comments

1 Comment so far

  1. Kadim on July 17, 2008 1:52 am

    The thing that does make me uncomfortable about this is…

    a.) I really do not want the Ohio BMV in charge of some part of immigration law. They can barely handle the job they have it is (and they do it woefully.)

    b.) I don’t feel comfortable with local law enforcement enforcing federal laws. That’s the fed’s job…constitutionally, let them have it.

    c.) Ohio’s population is stuck in the mud. If we were Arizona or Texas it would be one thing, but I wonder if beggars can’t be choosers.

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