Thursday January 24, 2008
KENTUCKY GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Immigration bill's cost and scope questioned
Measure's sponsor says state needs to act because federal government is falling short
By Deborah Yetter
dyetter@courier-journal.com
The Courier-Journal
FRANKFORT, Ky. -- A bill to crack down on illegal immigrants in Kentucky and some companies that employ them got its first public discussion yesterday before the House Judiciary Committee.
Chairwoman Kathy Stein, D-Lexington, said she expects to hold more informational hearings before deciding whether to hold a vote on the measure to allow Kentucky to take on many of the federal government's immigration enforcement duties.
Yesterday, Rep. Bob Damron, a Nicholasville Democrat who sponsored House Bill 304, outlined it before the committee, meeting a flurry of questions from lawmakers concerned about its cost and scope.
"It just seems that we're creating a very complex set of laws that will be difficult to enforce, especially in rural Kentucky," said Rep. Brent Yonts, D-Greenville.
Rep. Robin Webb, D-Grayson, said she believes government needs to deal with illegal immigration but worries about additional costs.
"How," she asked, "are these agencies set to deal with this in light of the current budget crisis?"
Damron said he wasn't sure of the cost but said Kentucky needs to act because the federal government is failing to enforce immigration laws and some states, such as Arkansas and Oklahoma, have enacted their own laws.
The bill would make it a felony for someone to use a false identity to appear to be a legal resident. It also would put the state Homeland Security office in charge of enforcement efforts; require jail officials to identify and report undocumented immigrants in their custody; sanction any company that gets public money and knowingly hires undocumented workers; and require local officials to enforce immigration law.
Two supporters of the bill who spoke yesterday said the state needs to act against what they said is the growing threat of illegal immigrants coming to Kentucky to work.
"Believe me, it's an invasion, folks," Joan Rich of Woodford County told the committee. "Just doing nothing is going to open the door."
Dr. David Duncan, a physician, also spoke, saying there's no way to know the true identity of undocumented immigrants.
"We must find who is a threat to our children, a threat to our community," said Duncan, who described himself as a seventh-generation Lexington resident who was disabled in an accident and speaks out on immigration enforcement on behalf of himself and others.
"It is an incredibly heavy burden," Duncan said.
Some opponents attended, including members of religious coalitions, immigration-rights supporters and advocates for victims of domestic violence.
"We oppose this bill," said the Rev. Patrick Delahanty, associate director of the Catholic Conference of Kentucky, adding federal authorities need to enact and enforce meaningful immigration law.
"The federal government has not done its job and provided comprehensive reform that provides a way for people to work here legally," he said.
Stein said she expects to hear from opponents at future hearings along with many other witnesses.
Reporter Deborah Yetter can be reached at (502) 582-4228.