California city votes on immigration issue

by Mark5019 May 14, 2006 8:38PM PDT

LOS ANGELES ? Landlords who rent to illegal immigrants could face $1,000 fines, and homeowners who hire undocumented workers could have their cars impounded under a measure being voted on today by the San Bernardino City Council.

A group opposed to illegal immigration in the city of 200,000, located 70 miles east of Los Angeles, collected more than 2,200 signatures to force the council to consider the tough proposal. If the council doesn't approve the measure today, the issue will go to voters on a citywide ballot.

Four of the seven council members said in interviews that they expected the measure to fail today because of concerns over enforcement costs and court challenges. "Cops don't need to be checking under mattresses to see if some landlord is renting to some illegal immigrant," Councilman Dennis Baxter said. "We have bigger fish to fry: crime, gang activity. Whoever is cutting the next-door neighbors' lawn is a lower priority."

Joseph Turner, 29, who led the petition drive, said the city charter would mandate a special election by September. The financially strained city will try to shift the ballot measure to November's general election to save the $300,000 cost of a special election, Councilman Neil Derry said.

its a start make the lawbreakers pay
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-05-14-san-bernardino-immigration_x.htm

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -

Hmmmm...

by dirtyrich May 14, 2006 9:19PM PDT

"We have bigger fish to fry: crime, gang activity."

Also done by illegals, especially the gang activity. Going after all illegals will work against all crime too.

- Collapse -

Why are'nt the politicians concerened...

by tomron May 15, 2006 2:59PM PDT

about the illegals sending beaucoup bucks back to their country.That might be one of the reasons that the Mexican goverment does'nt mind people sneeking out of their country,in fact they even give aid.

So no wonder with all this money pumped back into the Mexican economy every year which probaly amounts to billions,does anyone smell graft.Why the hesitation for many years to act on this.Why all of a sudden now,or is it only cause of the recent developments.

Tom

- Collapse -

The figure I've heard is 20 billion

by Diana Former Forum moderator May 16, 2006 8:12AM PDT

not to mention the drug and oil money. The country should be rolling in money and everyone could be prosperous. I think the main problem is they still think in terms of the mindset of people that live in the big house and those that toil in the fields. Sounds like the old south.

No wonder socialism sounds so good in these countries.

Diana

- Collapse -

The landlords I can see ...

by Evie May 14, 2006 9:30PM PDT

... but my folks (who do their own lawn still) live in an area where most folks have their lawns done, and it's largely big crews of non-English speaking Hispanics (try to get them to move a vehicle blocking something!) that work for landscaping firms.

I don't see how the run of the mill homeowner can check on the immigration status of the person cutting their lawn, and there's no certification (like showing a business license and insurance) that the company can show the homeowner to prove their workforce is entirely legit.

Landlords, perhaps a different issue because it is routine to do some sort of background check. But having been a small-potatoes landlord myself, unless there is an SSN verification system I could tie into for a small fee, there's only so much a landlord can do.

Seems like pushing the responsibility for enforcing the laws off on those most ill equipped to do so.

Evie

- Collapse -

have to make it non profitable

by Mark5019 May 14, 2006 9:39PM PDT

make it so there un welcome

- Collapse -

Go after the actual EMPLOYERS

by Evie May 14, 2006 10:28PM PDT

If they don't make money, they can't pay rent. The employer has to check the papers, carry the insurance, file the W2's, withhold FICA/Medicare/IIT. They also usually need to have some state issued license to operate under.

If immigration swept through my parent's neighborhood, I'm SURE they would find a bunch of illegals. I'm also quite sure that the homeowner didn't hire them directly, they are contracting legit businesses operating under state license. The homeowners aren't driving out to the various streetcorners, picking up day laborers and sticking them behind a lawnmower. If the employers are, snag them!

Evie

- Collapse -

The proposal is toothless, Mark,...

by Paul C May 15, 2006 1:21AM PDT

...because LA is one of those cities that has passed a resolution making it a so-called ''Sanctuary City'', in which reporting a person's immigration status is in fact illegal:

Los Angeles' sanctuary policy, known as ''Special Order 40,'' prevents police from arresting anyone based solely on their immigration status, or from notifying immigration officials about an illegal immigrant. In January 2004 Manhattan Institute scholar. Heather Mac Donald wrote that ''dozens of gang members from Mara Salvatrucha, a ruthless Salvadoran gang, have sneaked back into town after having been deported for such crimes as murder, assault with a deadly weapon and drug trafficking. Police officers know who they are and know that their mere presence in the country after deportation is a felony. Yet if an LAPD officer arrests an illegal gang-banger for felonious reentry, it is the officer who will be treated as a criminal for violating an LAPD rule.''

It's quite clear that any attempt to actually use this ordinance would in itself be a crime.

- Collapse -

(NT) (NT) LA is not San Bernadino County

by Diana Former Forum moderator May 15, 2006 1:34PM PDT

California city votes on immigration issue

CNET Forums

Other Forums

Forum Info