Widespread reports of vanishing employees and schoolchildren suggest tens of thousands of illegal immigrants have left Oklahoma for neighboring states or their native countries since House Bill 1804 took effect last November.State Rep. Randy Terrill, the Republican author of the law, says the state will save money over the long term because taxpayers won't be subsidizing services for illegal immigrants: 'There's significant evidence that HB 1804 is achieving its intended purpose, which is illegal aliens leaving the state of Oklahoma.' Terrill added: 'HB 1804 is a model not only for Oklahoma, but for other states and the nation as well.'
The key provisions of Oklahoma's new immigration law are: (1) it makes transporting, concealing, harboring or sheltering illegal immigrants a felony, (2) it denies illegal immigrants from having driver's licenses and other official state government indentifications, (3) it requires state and local government agencies (at present) and private businesses too (beginning July 1) to check new hires against a national federal database to make sure they are legally eligible to work, (4) it denies to illegal immigrants certain public-money benefits, such as rental assistance and fuel subsidies.
Republican state Rep. Shane Jett, who opposed the so-called '1804' law, offers a dire prediction for Oklahoma's economy: '[It] will be the single most destructive economic disaster since the Dust Bowl,' he says. Cotton gins, hotels and home builders have lost workers, not all of whom were illegal aliens. Some workers who've relocated either were citizens or legal residents but were married to illegal aliens. Others had family members living with or near them who were in the country illegally. Restaurant and grocery store owners have complained of fewer customers.
State Rep. Kris Steele, a Republican who voted for the law, wishes to see it amended. He says he's received calls from non-immigrants complaining that they had to produce official birth certificates or certified copies to renew their driver's licenses. Jett now wants to create a state-run program that would allow illegal immigrants without violent criminal histories to pay a fine, then to continue to work in the state and to pay state taxes. Those workers, says Jett, would be considered exempt from 1804 at the state level but still subject to federal immigration laws.
* * *
Here's a link to the USA Today article that provides the source material for this posting. For obvious reasons that article was couched and organized differently.
* * *
The partisan breakdown of the Oklahoma State House, the driving force behind that brass-knuckled immigration law:
57 - Republicans
44 - Democrats
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Immigration
Comments (14)
Its examples like this that... (Below threshold)1. Posted by jpm100 | January 10, 2008 9:55 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Its examples like this that reinforce the solution as not a barrier alone, but removing the rewards for illegally immigrating here. That includes Amnesty.
And Senator McCain, a few minor hurdles and a small fine doesn't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
1. Posted by jpm100 | January 10, 2008 9:55 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on January 10, 2008 21:55
2. Posted by Jim Addison | January 10, 2008 10:28 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Hmmm . . . if they're leaving on their own, does this mean we shouldn't build the fence? I mean, wouldn't it keep them IN now?
;-)
2. Posted by Jim Addison | January 10, 2008 10:28 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on January 10, 2008 22:28
3. Posted by Synova | January 10, 2008 10:28 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Making it a felony to harbor seems a bit much, actually, and I can see legal immigrants and legal workers who have friends or relatives worrying that failure to report others in their community could be made to mean harboring them. Better safe, and working in Texas, than taking the risk.
Significant fines to employers and the other things listed strike me as a good plan.
Moaning about a lack of workers is just too bad. An economy that rests on the labor of a sub-class of illegal people is inherently immoral.
3. Posted by Synova | January 10, 2008 10:28 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on January 10, 2008 22:28
4. Posted by jpm100 | January 10, 2008 11:08 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Let's put up some ladders on this side.
4. Posted by jpm100 | January 10, 2008 11:08 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on January 10, 2008 23:08
5. Posted by LaMedusa | January 10, 2008 11:27 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Interesting how enforcing the law could cause such an uproar, like not having the luxury of cheap labor.
5. Posted by LaMedusa | January 10, 2008 11:27 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on January 10, 2008 23:27
6. Posted by Mike | January 11, 2008 9:22 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
With Republicans routinely labeled as "racist," "bigot," etc. by Democrats over their opposition to illegal alien amnesty, you'd think that Hillary or Obama or Edwards would use OK House Bill 1804 as a perfect example of the kind of evil, racist conservative policy that a kinder, gentler Democratic White House would seek to end.
Yet no big Democrats in either the Presidential race or the Congressional leadership seem to want to touch this bill with a 10 foot pole.
I wonder why ...
6. Posted by Mike | January 11, 2008 9:22 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on January 11, 2008 09:22
7. Posted by JLawson | January 11, 2008 10:14 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
When you've pretty much openly endorsed the legalization of illegal immigrants in the hopes of winning their votes when/if they jump through the hoops of citizenship, it's kind of hard to back up and go "Nope - we need you folks out, and here's how we'll propose to do it!"
7. Posted by JLawson | January 11, 2008 10:14 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on January 11, 2008 10:14
8. Posted by Carl Gordon | January 11, 2008 4:24 PM | Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
Q: How can you make a Republican slow down?
A: Put a sheet of paper in front of him.
Q#2: How can you make that Republican stop?
A: Put words on it!
Q: Why do people put Republican stickers on their car?
A: So they can park in the handicapped spot.
Q: What does a Republican use for contraception?
A: His personality!
Q: What is the difference between a Republican and a vacuum cleaner?
A: You have to plug one of them in before it sucks.
Q: If a dollar bill was laying in the center of a room, and the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, a Republican with intelligence, and a stupid Republican were standing in the corners, who would get the money?
A: The stupid Republican since the other three don't exist.
A son tells his mother, "Mom, when I grow up, I want to be a Republican."
His mother scoffs and replies... "Well, you can't do both."
Q: What should you call a Republican?
A: It doesn't matter. They won't listen anyway.
Q: What would you call the smartest Republican in the world?
A: Mildly retarded.
Q: What do you call 10 Republicans sitting in a circle?
A: A dope ring.
Q: What is the difference between a Republican and a savings bond?
A: One will mature and make money.
Q: What do you call a Republican with half a brain?
A: Gifted.
Q: What did the Republican get on his IQ test?
A: Drool.
8. Posted by Carl Gordon | January 11, 2008 4:24 PM |
Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
Posted on January 11, 2008 16:24
9. Posted by cstmbuild | January 11, 2008 5:10 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I haven't seen a massive "de-immigration" in my area.
I am in construction and use some Hispanic crews (all legal and most have worked with me for several years) and none of them have left, nor are they complaining about the law or about family members leaving.
Plus, I have kids in pre-school and elementary school and none of the Hispanic kids have left their classes. Roughly 33% of each class is Hispanic, so I have a pretty good feel for the area.
From what I have heard on the news all the "facts" that have been reported are strictly opinions or estimates.
Example: News station interviews business owner in predominately Hispanic area. Owner states "Business is off 25%, sales are down 30%". But that is all that is provided, no numbers, no sales receipts, no monthly sales totals, just "guesstimates". And the reporter never questions the "facts."
Plus, everyone implies this is strictly against Mexicans, it isn't, it is against ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. Yes, the illegals are predominately Mexican, but so what?
BTW, I like the law and have no problem having illegal immigrants leave Oklahoma.
9. Posted by cstmbuild | January 11, 2008 5:10 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on January 11, 2008 17:10
10. Posted by The Exposer | January 11, 2008 5:11 PM | Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
Hey, Carl, it was funnier before you changed it from the original "Democrat."
Back to the subject at hand, that RINO Jett needs to have his ass run out of office on a rail.
10. Posted by The Exposer | January 11, 2008 5:11 PM |
Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on January 11, 2008 17:11
11. Posted by Carl Gordon | January 11, 2008 7:27 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Hey "Exposer", or is it ex-poser:
It gets worse when you think about the following. It was recently revealed in some ersatz "Poll" (or if you're "the exposer", pole) that Repubs have more sex on a weekly (or weakly) basis them Dems. Not if you eliminate farm animals!
11. Posted by Carl Gordon | January 11, 2008 7:27 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on January 11, 2008 19:27
12. Posted by The Exposer | January 13, 2008 4:57 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Carl, you sound like you come straight from DU. You know, that's where the men are men and the sheep are scared.
12. Posted by The Exposer | January 13, 2008 4:57 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on January 13, 2008 16:57
13. Posted by john Ryan![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://wizbangblog.com/nav-commenters.gif)
| January 14, 2008 5:41 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Thousands Wowee!! that is a really big number.
Is it a significant number ?
Is it in fact a number that is actually LARGER than the number of new illegal immigrants ?
Oh well I guess it doesn't really matter as long as some feel good about it
13. Posted by john Ryan![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://wizbangblog.com/nav-commenters.gif)
| January 14, 2008 5:41 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on January 14, 2008 17:41
14. Posted by ibfamous | January 14, 2008 5:43 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
how do they separate the men from the boys at the republican national convention? with a crowbar...
14. Posted by ibfamous | January 14, 2008 5:43 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on January 14, 2008 17:43