Texas Issue Alert – HB 2886 by Rep Paul Workman

HB 2886 – “relating to the establishment of a work program for certain persons not legally authorized to be in the United States; providing penalties”

The federal government has failed to enforce the federal immigration system which has placed states like Texas under pressure.  It is reasonable for the state to step in and establish a system to allow migrant workers to work legally in this state and to monitor their impact.  HB 2886 which establishes a process for the state to regulate migrant workers will be heard in the Texas House State Affairs Committee, tomorrow, April 6^th upon adjournment of the House session in room JHR 140.

DETAILS:

HB 2886 provides for a state issued migrant worker “resident alien card” outlining a path for migrant workers to be legally employed in Texas.  The resident alien card must contain a photograph, fingerprint and magnetic code to confirm the cardholder’s identity.

HB 2886 sets the cost of the resident alien card to $4,000 for 8 years of eligibility and provides for collection and distribution of those fees back to the state and local communities to offset expenses related to thee workers.

HB 2886 requires an employer to withhold state taxes from resident aliens, give preference in hiring to US citizen, and provide equal benefits to an employee with a resident alien card.

HB 2886 allows for compliance enforcement at job sites and provides a fine of $10,000 per employee to a business if the employee is working with out a resident alien card.  A foreign national who is not lawfully employed is to be reported and deported and ineligible for life to return to work in Texas.

HB2886 provides for a revocation of the alien resident card and deportation if the applicant is convicted of a Class B misdemeanor or higher.

BACKGROUND:

Like many states across the nation, immigration has become a key issue in the state of Texas, with over 100 bills filed aimed at reform.  Constituents who are voicing their concerns and a federal government that has been unable to pass comprehensive reforms have driven the movement in the states.  In recent months the states have begun to address immigration in absence of federal reform.

A comprehensive state reform bill would need to address three pillars – tougher enforcement, a guest worker program, fines and worker permits – in order to be beneficial.  Several states have passed reform bills and the most recent bill passed in Utah contains these elements.  Texas in in dire need of comprehensive immigration reform legislation and efforts to pass bills to address these elements must be given a chance.

KEY FACTS:

• HB 2886 provides for a mechanism for the state to collect taxes on unlawful persons in this state.
• HB 2866 will ensure that employers hired only legally eligible workers.
• HB 2866 will provide a legal method for foreign nationals to work in this state

TAKE ACTION:

HB 2866 will be heard on Wednesday, April 6 in House State Affairs Committee.  Please contact the House State Affairs Committee and Representative Workman to voice your opinion on this important issue.

House State Affairs Committee
512-463-0814
Representative Paul Workman
512-463-0652

Members House State Affairs Committee:
Cook / Chairman; Menedez /Vice-Chairman
Craddick, Frullo, Gallego, Geren, Harless, Hildebran,
Huberty, Olivera, Smithee, Solomons, Turner

(Find out how to contact these officials and who represents you at www.capitol.state.tx.us)

If you would like to testify on this bill, the hearing will be held in:
JHR 140 (John H. Reagan Building)

Remember — your voice is a vital part of the state’s discussion about immigration. Please take action on this issue today.  Thank you!

Texas Issue Alert – HB 2757 by Rep. Aaron Pena

HB 2757 (Pena) – “Relating to the establishment of the Texas Commission on Immigration and Migration and a migrant worker visa pilot project.”

It is important for you to weigh-in on the immigration debate.   The state must seek solutions to manage immigration and our migrant workforce because the federal government has failed to do so.  HB 2757 is a good first step and will be heard by the House State Affairs Committee in Today, March 30, 2011 upon adjournment of session. We encourage you to learn more and let your voice be heard.

DETAILS:

HB 2757 will create the Texas Commission on Immigration and Migration to monitor immigration in this state and look for solutions to deal with migration of workers.

HB 2757 provides that businesses in Texas would be critical in identifying needs and would be necessary to participate in the program. An advisory committee would be created to study the process and results of the program.

HB 2757 will provide for a pilot program to explore the feasibility of creating a Texas guest-worker visa, which would be crafted under current federal worker visa guidelines by granting authority to the governor to partner with a Mexican state to identify and qualify potential workers.

BACKGROUND:

Like many states across the nation, immigration has become a key issue in the state of Texas, with over 100 bills filed aimed at reform.  Constituents who are voicing their concerns and a federal government that has been unable to pass comprehensive reforms have driven the movement in the states.   In recent months the states have begun to address immigration in absence of federal reform.

A comprehensive state reform bill would need to address three pillars – tougher enforcement, a guest worker program, fines and worker permits – in order to be beneficial.  Several states have passed reform bills and the most recent bill passed in Utah contains these elements.

KEY FACTS:

• HB 2757 would create a bi-partisan commission to study Immigration and Migration policies and opportunities for Texas and conduct hearings to involve the public in developing solutions.

• HB 2757 would charge the Immigration Commission to develop a comprehensive plan to deal with our immigration and migration challenges in Texas.

• HB 2757 would empower the Governor to work directly with Mexico to negotiate a migrant worker visa pilot project to regulate and control the migrant workforce in Texas.

TAKE ACTION:

HB 2757 will be heard TODAY (March 30, 2011) in House State Affairs Committee.  Please contact the House State Affairs Committee and Represenative Pena to voice your opinion on this important issue.

House State Affairs Committee
512-463-0814 (phone)

Representative Aaron Pena
512-463-0426 (phone)

Members House State Affairs Committee:
Cook / Chairman; Menedez /Vice-Chairman
Craddick, Frullo, Gallego, Geren, Harless, Hildebran,
Huberty, Olivera, Smithee, Solomons, Turner

(To contact any of the above committee members, please visit www.house.state.tx.us to get information)

Remember—your voice is a vital part of our state’s discussion about immigration. Please take action on this issue today. Thank you.

Utah Approaches Immigration in Two Different Ways

Even under the more lenient proposal, Utah would still require the state to report to the federal Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) agency immigrants who do not have the proper documents and commit a major crime.

While many state legislatures are considering variations of the Arizona immigration law aimed to crack down on undocumented workers, a few others, like Utah are seeking a different path. Two bi-partisan legislators in Utah say they have a more constructive way to handle the controversial issue.

Utah’s bill introduced by state Sen. Luz Robles, a Democrat, and state Rep. Jeremy Peterson, a Republican, also has the support of the Sutherland Institute, a conservative think tank in Salt Lake City.

According to USA Today, the bill introduced by Robles and Peterson, known as the Pilot Accountability Permit Program, would grant work permits to undocumented immigrants so they could work legally in the state. This would occur only after the undocumented immigrant passes a criminal background check, and it would require them to pay taxes and take English classes. If they lost their jobs they would be forced to leave the state.

Another measure, more closely molded after the Arizona law, has already cleared a House committee vote in the Utah legislature. That bill, known as HB 70 was introduced by Republican Rep. Stephen Sandstrom and is strictly an enforcement-only law.

“We need a deterrent in the state of Utah,” Sandstrom told the House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Standing Committee last Friday. “We have no deterrent right now.”

According to KSL.com, the committee approved Sandstrom’s bill by a 9-3 vote with Democrats casting the dissenting votes. HB 70 requires police officers to verify the legal status of people detained for class A misdemeanor and felony offenses if the officer has “reasonable suspicion” they are in the country illegally. Officers would not have to check the status of those suspected of class B and class C misdemeanors, but could if they chose to.

Even under the more lenient proposal, Utah would still require the state to report to the federal Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) agency immigrants who do not have the proper documents and commit a major crime.

“It is very rare,” Eric Rodriguez, vice president of public policy for the National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic civil rights group, said of the bill introduced by Robles and Peterson. “It just feels more meaningful than what we’ve seen in other states.”

According to USA Today, Paul Mero, director of the conservative Sutherland Institute, said he had become disheartened by the dozens of bills flowing through the Utah Capitol and other state legislatures that focused on trying to catch and deport illegal immigrants. He said the immigration system needs to be fixed by Congress, but in the meantime, Utah should focus on constructive ways to deal with the 110,000 illegal immigrants living in the state.

“You really have two paths,” Mero said. “The one path leads to rounding them up or starving them out. Or, you can actually go down this other path of rationality and practicality.”

Not everyone agreed with him.

Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, which advocates lower levels of immigration, told USA Today that the core of the bill is unconstitutional because states cannot regulate immigration numbers.

He called the bill “de facto amnesty” and considered it a political gesture since it has little chance of surviving legal challenges.

Robles acknowledged that the possibility of her proposal being approved and then meeting a legal challenge were not good. No matter the outcome, she told USA Today, she hoped the bill would help change the tone of the national immigration debate.

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The Americano 2.17.2011