Republicans now in charge of the state legislature are using their clout to push for new laws identifying illegal immigrants and limiting their use of public services.
That effort got its start Wednesday in the House Committee on the State's Role in Immigration Policy, which drew a crowd representing both sides of the controversial issue. The committee can recommend legislation to be considered next year.
For years, a legislative contingent has focused on more laws limiting illegal immigrants' access to public services - seeking to bar their admission to community colleges, for example - but they have had limited success.
Republicans won control of the legislature last year, giving their efforts new life. The wave of tough laws in other states such as Arizona and Alabama has given them another reason to act.
With other states tightening their laws, North Carolina could become a magnet for illegal immigrants, said Rep. Bert Jones, a Rockingham County Republican.
Arizona passed a law last year that made being an illegal immigrant and failure to carry immigration documents state crimes.
Alabama this year approved a sweeping law banning illegal immigrants from attending public colleges, prohibiting employers from hiring illegal immigrants, and voiding all contracts with illegal immigrants, among other provisions. Parts of the law are under court review.
No specific laws were mentioned at the committee meeting Wednesday, but the legislature has bills pending that would prohibit use of consular or other embassy documents as official identification, specify documents that must be shown to receive public benefits, and a put an identifying mark on the driver's licenses of people living in the country temporarily.
A comprehensive Arizona-style immigration bill has been filed, but has not been considered by the House or Senate.
Legislators seeking to crack down on illegal immigration tout the effort as a potential money-saver while detractors say the focus on tougher laws does little more than scapegoat Hispanics.
Though legislators and the two county sheriffs who talked about their work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to identify illegal immigrants said the efforts are not focused on Spanish-speakers or based on skin color, opponents of stiffer laws said it is clear that Hispanics are the targets.
To read the complete article, visit www.newsobserver.com.
Comments