Sen. Mike Jorgenson
Senator Mike Jorgenson, of Hayden, introduced a new bill in Boise today. It’s aimed at stopping employers from hiring people who are not US citizens. Sen. Jorgenson said Idaho prisons now house 487 non-citizens and out of those, 425 are from Mexico. He estimated the cost to our state for housing these inmates at about $10 million a year.
The bill would work by refusing, suspending or revoking business licenses for companies that hire illegal aliens. Any thoughts, comments, ideas?
You can read more here: http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/boise/
If I remember correctly, this bill punishes employers who “knowingly” hire illegal aliens and it’s enforced through the county. I wasn’t sure about it because I thought the situation was already handled by the feds – but it’s not working. I guess this is the route to take so it can be enforced at the local level.
Personally, I am tired of footing the bill for aliens and I don’t understand why Health and Welfare caters to them. Aliens have more benefits than we legals. benefits. We bend over backwards with interpreters, materials in their languages, ect. We have eligible aliens here – meaning those who have lived at least five years in the states. Doesn’t make sense to me. Here is the H&W form.
Why do we put them in our jails? Why don’t we just ship them back instead of housing them? We are paying already – why pay more?
But, if this bill will curtail the influx of illegals into the area, I don’t see the harm in passing it – other than it will hurt employers who already -“unknowingly” of course – hire illegals.
Something needs to be done and this bill deals with the situation. It’s crazy – the illegals are hiring their own attorneys and sueing private citizens because they are met with resistance. This guy has turned in over 12,000 illegals Our own U.S District Judge won’t even drop the suit. Evidently, the ranch owner is violating the illegal alien’s civil rights. The illegals are suing for 32 million.
Comment by Stebbijo — March 16, 2009 @ 12:21 pm
It is posted on the CdA Press comments section that the bill has been pigeon holed by Sen Curt Mackenzie, Chairman of the State Affairs Committee. In other it words, it is dead.
Comment by Wallypog — March 16, 2009 @ 1:36 pm
Why isn’t this already illegal?
Of course, the weasel clause: “unknowingly.” That’s how our local government dances the ethical line, thanks to whether something was done “knowingly” or not. Shameful.
Comment by Dan — March 16, 2009 @ 3:02 pm
Does anyone know which party Senator Curt MacKenzie belongs to?
Comment by citizen — March 16, 2009 @ 4:36 pm
Citizen, I just googled him and it looks like he’s a Republican from Nampa serving his third term. Why would he want to kill this bill?
Sen. Jorgenson said this bill is fashioned after the Arizona bill that has been very helpful to that state and several others that have now copied it.
Comment by mary — March 16, 2009 @ 4:46 pm
Great job Mike. Dan; politicians, all too many of whom are lawyers love to use weasel words when enacting legislation. It’s kinda like job security for the rest of their ilk. Mc Kensie no doubt receives large campaign contributions from the farming/agriculture industry so he’s fulfilling his obligations.
Comment by Will Penny — March 16, 2009 @ 6:17 pm