The legal obstacles (and those that support them) also need to be looked into.
Let's hear it for Rhode Island Gov. Don Carcieri. He doesn't just complain about the damage illegal immigrants do to his state. He does something about it -- and without waiting for Washington to move on the problem, however much he wishes it would.
Carcieri's state, the smallest in the nation, is mired in a $550 million budget deficit caused in good part, he says, by illegal immigrants who force up costs of government services in education, law enforcement and welfare and health benefits. He first proposed huge cuts in those programs, plus early release of convicts from prisons, to get the budget under control.
Then recently the GOP chief executive did something that may be unprecedented for a state governor -- he signed an executive order to combat illegal immigration. The order, among other things, requires state agencies and companies that do business with the state to verify the legal status of all their employees.
It also directs state police, prison and parole officials to aggressively find and deport illegal immigrants. This includes having state police enter an agreement with federal immigration authorities permitting them access to specialized database information that would allow state authorities to detain immigration violators. State police could also investigate the legal status of any suspected immigration violator, including crime victims and witnesses.
Carcieri says he had to take these actions because of Congress' failure to deal with the issue. He's absolutely right. Immigration control is the job of the federal government, not the state government, but the states have to do something when Congress abdicates its responsibility.
So give Carcieri credit for taking unilateral action on a critical issue when no one else would. His bold leadership move, however, raises an interesting question:
Has the Rhode Island governor's executive order set a precedent that other governors with immigration problems -- such as Georgia and South Carolina -- could follow?
There may be legal obstacles involved, but it's certainly worth looking into to.
Comments
The legal obstacles (and those that support them) also need to be looked into.
Way to go Governor Carcieri...Hopefully your aggressive move will be the start of something postive when dealing with the illegals in this country. Good point also patricia..I would hope they have lawyers on board that are preparing for the long haul....
You go Gov !
Maybe the federal government is scared to force the actual employers to go along with such a program nationally. The businesses have lobbyists that are probably against such a thing. Neither major party wants to [filtered word] off the business lobbyists who line their pockets. Businesses just want to get the most work done for the least amount of money. Whether there are any Americans left to pay for their goods in the future is not logical to them. They are just worried about their own little world (business) right now and how to make the optimum profit this year.
We know why Bush has done nothng about securing the border. He fully supported the Kennedy-McCain-Grahamnesty Amnesty bill.
Jack, what I stated before is why Bush, Kennedy, etc support amnesty.
Jack, you didn't answer the question of WHY did Bush support the Kennedy-McCain-Grahamnesty bill?
Rhode Island, you go girl! Go tell Aunt Rhody!
The special interest lobby will go to any length to pressure Gov. Donald L. Carcieri's to recind any laws that enforces state immigration laws. The special interest groups have all the money that is funded by unaware taxpayers. This includesMEChA and La Raza (The Race) that openly advocate creating an apartheid style Hispanic only nation of Aztlan in what is the American South West. Separatist racist groups including La Raza, MEChA, LULAC, MALDEF, CHIRLA, La Voz de Atzlan, Zapatista Army of National Liberation and Mexicanos Sin Fronteras (Mexicans Without Borders). Not to forget the corporate machine, big religion, the ACLU, Southern Poverty league and even the US Chamber of Commerce. Many of these organizations are run by Marxist, Communist and just pure Anti-American zealots. Entities like the Ford Foundation supports these pure anti-sovereignty coalitions.
America cannot afford to enact another AMNESTY? The ramifications are unthinkable on each states economy? Taxpayers will have to support even more illegal immigrants as the word gets out and millions more will pour into our nation.
Keep calling your Congressmen today to co-author THE SAVE ACT! NUMBERSUSA for the TRUTH!
I'm very proud of Governor Carcieri, as I am of Randy Terrill and Russell Pearce, for passing laws in Oklahoma and Arizona. This is what it's going to take to get the ILLEGAL ALIENS to return back to their home country. I hope soon, very soon, all 50 States will have a law. This illegal immigration MUST come to an end, and AMNESTY is NOT the answer. You don't reward criminals!
I just hope something can be done with these ANCHOR babies, and get this American citizenship they were granted REVOKED.
ILLEGAL ALIENS have absolutely no right to be in this country! They are breaking the law everyday they are here. It's time for them to pick up their little anchors and SHIP OUT! This law will help them to move along.
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