Senate finishes immigration bill debateMcConnell, Campsen say measure has crippling loophole By Yvonne Wenger (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Thursday, February 14, 2008
McConnell, Campsen say measure has crippling loophole COLUMBIA — The Senate finished its work on immigration reform legislation late Wednesday but left in what many are calling a giant loophole. The nearly 30-page bill extends worker verification standards to private businesses, asks the federal government for authority to enforce immigration laws and requires jails to verify the nationality of prisoners, among a long list of provisions. What the bill does not do is stop employers from using federal verification standards that Sens. Chip Campsen and Glenn McConnell argued perpetuates the broken system. The Senate ultimately voted 39-0 for the bill, which allows businesses to use the federal I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification Form. "If you leave an I-9 in here, you're building upon that false foundation," said Campsen, R-Isle of Palms. "People for a while might think you really did something tough on immigration, that you really addressed the issue, but eventually they'll understand." Campsen and McConnell, R-Charleston, had offered a proposal to require businesses to use only driver's licenses and identification cards issued by South Carolina and other select states. If a potential employer did not have either, employers would have been required to check the validity of Social Security numbers through a federal database run by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, E-Verify. The federal government fails to check whether the Social Security numbers and names provided for I-9 forms are valid, which allows businesses to continue hiring illegal immigrants, Campsen said. His and McConnell's proposals failed to get support, but no recorded votes were taken. At one point, McConnell had also suggested the state create a special form to strengthen enforcement, but other senators said it was too burdensome for the business community. "Lord, have mercy," Minority Leader John Land of Manning said. "You're going to put this burden on every honest businessman in South Carolina, and the crooked ones out there are probably not going to file this thing." The real problem was political pressure from special-interest groups, McConnell and Campsen said. Still, the two said the Senate improved on the reform bill as passed by the House in late January. The next stop for the bill is a conference committee, provided the House insists on its version, which is expected. Conference is where the legislators will reach final accord. Sen. Paul Campbell, R-Goose Creek, said the community would feel the situation ease over time once the legislation becomes law. He said the Senate bill reflects a hard-fought compromise. One of the biggest challenges throughout the process was trying to understand where the state could act and what the limitations were, McConnell said. "Propaganda pumps" were working overtime, McConnell said, telling the public the state can do more to address illegal immigration than is within its power. The Legislature has to be careful not to open the state up to lawsuits on discrimination and other grounds. "All you're going to do is make a group of lawyers rich," McConnell said. "To the public, you need to understand our hands are tied. This issue ultimately has got to be solved in Washington, D.C. "The people saying the General Assembly can solve this problem are not telling them the truth. There are limits to what we can and can't do." Sen. Robert Ford, D-Charleston, said the state should have waited for the federal government to act. "Right now, I am not convinced that we have the constitutional powers to do something about it," Ford said. "I think we are just spinning our wheels." Reach Yvonne Wenger at (803) 799-9051. |
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Comments
This article has 21 comment(s)
Posted by sherlock on February 14, 2008 at 12:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I believe that two federal cirduit judges ruled that states can, in effect, get tough on illegal immigration. Look at what Arizona did. Judges said it did not violate federal authority so sc lawmakers, quit fooling yourselves and the people, take action lest the people do so come election time! By the way, can I sue the federal and/or state government for not doing their job ( protecting the citizenry) and for not enforcing the very laws that they were sworn to upheld?
Posted by moonpie on February 14, 2008 at 6:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thats right PM look at GA,AZ and thne look at the cowards in our legislature. Voters please remember! Vote them all out lets turn against them. This is all they understand.
"The real problem was political pressure from special-interest groups, McConnell and Campsen said." I CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE HE SAID THAT! THEN ITS PROOF YOU PANDERED TO THEM! MCCONNELL HAS SHOWN IF IT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE HUNLEY HE IS A WASTE!
Posted by crankyyankee on February 14, 2008 at 7:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think what PalmettoMan is trying to say is,______________
Posted by Paul on February 14, 2008 at 7:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
McConnell ... Traitor ... Treasoness ... Liar
Posted by sherlock on February 14, 2008 at 8:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I guess Pametto Man said it best when he said, well...what he said. hes right though. Other states have taken legislative action that will work and that is allowed under federal law. The state of SC has again made us look like were stupid. You thought the illegal immigration problem was bad before? We will definately see a population boom now. McConnell and everyone else up there only care about how much money they can put in their pockets. They dont care that my neighborhood and city are becoming little Mexico and why should they they dont have to live around here. As we speak, illegal immigrants are on the phone telling their friends to tell their friends to tell their friends to tell their family members in Mexico, or wherever, to COME ON DOWN! No enforcement here and jobs aplenty. I wish I could afford to leave this state, Im so ashamed to say that I am from here.
Posted by ChrisRobin on February 14, 2008 at 9 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Ok, Palmetto Man, chill out; what's done is done. Breathe in, breathe out, move on. There's no sense in giving yourself a cornary over this. True, the General Assembly took the easy way out but look at it this way- at least SC is doing something, which is more that a majority of the other States are doing! Something may come out of it yet.
Posted by carolinadude on February 14, 2008 at 10:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
With the SC Senate passage of the weakened Chamber of Commerce "immigration reform legislation", "we the people" of SC should know without question that our SC General Assembly "is of the chamber, for the chamber and by the chamber". The people of SC need to "throw the rascals out" at every opportunity when a challenger steps forward to face an incumbent. We need to have an "anti incumbent" mentality or things will never change. These "representatives" do not represent the people and apprarently are the best General Assembly "that money can buy".
Posted by crankyyankee on February 14, 2008 at 10:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Doesn't it strike anyone that the very elected officials investigating if baseball players lied to the Senate and threatening legal action agaist them, are the ones who took an oath to uphold the laws of our Country and now refused too. I say the elected reps should be indicted for purgery same as the ball players. They definately lied to the public and I'll bet there is video footage of every one of them swearing to uphold the law. Problem is the public obviously likes what the representatives are doing or they wouldn't keep voting for more of the same!
Posted by carolinadude on February 14, 2008 at 11:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The article says "no recorded votes were taken". How convenient!! Throw the rascals out!!!
Posted by carolinadude on February 14, 2008 at 11:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Sen McConnell says "propaganda pumps" from "we the people" were working overtime. What does he call the political spin coming out of the general assembly? Is that not a propaganda pump?
Posted by carolinadude on February 14, 2008 at 11:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
According to Roan Garcia Quintana of americanshavehadenough.org, "Senator Ritchie's appeasing amendment to the Chamber of Commerce that made it into the bill means that now there may be no penalty for employers who knowingly hire illegals, if they use these two documents: a driver's license from any state and a social security card. Even if they know that documents are counterfeit, the employers will not be held responsible. We are setting South Carolina to become the largest factory of fraudulent documents in the US> We already have proof that false documents are bing mmanufactured in Saluda SC."
Apparently Senator Ritchie and the majority of the SC Senate and House think that the people of SC are stupid!!
I'm deeply offended. THROW THE RASCALS OUT!!!
Posted by AFWally on February 14, 2008 at 11:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Senate finishes work on immigration bill? They need to go back and revamp it......it sucks.
Posted by greyrider on February 14, 2008 at 11:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Sen McConnell, for the most part, has been a great representative, except on this issue. All the more reason why the "government as savior" mentality is so wrong. Even the good ones fail to deliver from time to time. This bill is good, but by no means solves anything. McConnell can still redeem himself by picking up the ball he dropped and continuing the fight. We need better.
Posted by crankyyankee on February 14, 2008 at 12:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Sen McConnell has the same agenda the other representatives have. To keep himself in office! Simply put, none of the elected officals in office today has any interest in seeing South Carolina succeed at anything other than red ink and an inferior education system. Since most of our elected officals have been in office for ten years or more it's obvious to even the most casual observer that they either aren't trying to improve the quality of life or are mentally incapable. At the very least they ought to step aside out of common decency to see if the State can find at least one individual that could show a positive effort to change the many things we continually fail in. I have not seen such an effort from our elected officals in the forty years I've lived and voted here. I will say the locals seem most happy with the present status though!
Posted by bigwhip on February 14, 2008 at 12:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hey, Grey....."a good bill,but by no means solves anything". Spoken like a Columbia politician. The bill stinks, their effort stinks, and they stink. The "unrecorded" votes on I-9 tells many of us that the special interest groups got what they wanted. What does the 39-0 vote tell you?
Posted by Paul on February 14, 2008 at 12:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Complaining here won't change the bill. We need to bombard "our" senators and representatives with emails, phone calls, newpaper editorials, etc to demand a proper immigration reform bill !
Posted by greyrider on February 14, 2008 at 1:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think you guys are missing something here. Virtually every state in the country wouldn't even considering DEBATING the issue. When I said the bill was good, I just mean that the state at least passed SOMETHING, even if it just goes thru the motions. That puts SC near the top, when it comes to this issue. Granted, that's pathetic, but how would you like to live in other states where the state politicians there won't even discuss the issue?? At least now there is a bill to debate. The people can't pressure their leaders to improve on a bill that doesn't exist. That's the case in most states. Too many people here are declaring defeat. The battle has just begun.
Posted by carolinadude on February 14, 2008 at 2:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thanks greyrider for a positive spin and you're right, WE'VE NOT YET BEGUN TO FIGHT!! We'll meet these crooked politicians at the ballot box. Crooked is a strong word. Perhaps i should say "sold out". What's the dadgum difference? Either they're "for the people" or they're "for the special interest"! YOUR CALL MY FELLOW HARD WORKING SOUTH CAROLINIANS WHO'VE "JUST HAD ENOUGH"!!
Filing for the primaries is from March 15th to March 30th. WILL THE REAL SOUTH CAROLINA PATRIOTS "PLEASE STAND UP". Otherwise nothing changes.
Posted by greyrider on February 14, 2008 at 3:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Here's why this is a "good" bill. If there were no bill, they could be asked about illegal immigration and they would BS all day long. But this bill creates a reference point for near-future elections. Ask them all one simple question: Is this bill enough? Yes or no? If yes, see ya!! If no, what do you intend to propose? (How about recorded votes, for one?)
Posted by Strider on February 14, 2008 at 3:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"All you're going to do is make a group of lawyers rich," McConnell said. "To the public, you need to understand our hands are tied. This issue ultimately has got to be solved in Washington, D.C.
Someone please read Section 8 of the Constitution and come back and explain to me why the States don't have the right to control non-citizens who are living there. Some one explain to me why the politicians are constantly saying Federal law trumps State law in every situation.
Politicians make me sick!
Posted by Carolina_Politics on February 14, 2008 at 6:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Not surprisingly, the special interests of businesses and corporations were far more important to the Republican Senate than protecting the state from law breakers who are stealing our jobs, driving down the wages of our working class residents, and contributing to a higher crime rate. The only hope now is that the House rejects this altered bill as a Sanford veto would likely get overturned, as most of them do.
http://www.carolinapoliticsonline.com/