Supreme Court Will Hear Challenge to Arizona Immigration Law

The Justice Department sued last year, arguing that Arizona's law goes beyond what the federal government allows in terms of enforcing illegal immigration laws.

Arizona counters that the federal government isn't doing enough to address illegal immigration and that border states are suffering disproportionately. read more

KAGAN RECUSES!!!!!!!

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Under Obama Regime, Arrests of illegal aliens on U.S.-Mexico border plummet

Dec. 5, 2011

MEXICALI, Mexico — Arrests of illegal migrants trying to cross the southern U.S. border have plummeted to levels not seen since the early 1970s, according to tallies released by the Department of Homeland Security last week, a historic shift that could reshape the debate over immigration reform.

The Border Patrol apprehended 327,577 illegal crossers along the U.S.-Mexico border in fiscal year 2011, which ended Sept. 30, numbers not seen since Richard Nixon was president, and a precipitous drop from the peak in 2000, when 1.6 million unauthorized migrants were caught. More than 90 percent of the migrants apprehended on the southwest border are Mexican.

Read more:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/americas/arrests-of-illegal-migrants-on-us-mexico-border-plummet/2011/12/02/gIQA6Op8PO_story.html

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Obama Deportation Numbers a Trick

Oct. 28, 2011

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano last week  announced that the Obama administration has deported a record number of illegal  immigrants in the past year.

But the Obama administration is using smoke and mirrors to achieve its  so-called historic record. Take away the illusion, and the facts show that the  administration conjures up its deportation statistics.

Read more:  http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1011/66805.html

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Public School Students Forced to Memorize Mexican Pledge of

October 17, 2011

Read more:  http://www.theblaze.com/stories/blaze-exclusive-tx-high-school-students-made-to-recite-mexican-national-anthem-pledge-of-allegiance/

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LA TIMES STORY ON MFIRE SUCCESS IN MISSISSIPPI

October 8, 2011

MFIRE efforts to enforce laws against illegal immigration get national attention.  Read more:  http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-mississipi-immigration-20111008,0,77103.story

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Breaking - Obama Justice Dept. Sues to Stop Alabama Illegal Immigration Enforcement Law

Oct. 7, 2011

Today, the Obama Department of Justice and Attorney General Eric Holder asked a federal appeals court to block enforcement of Alabama's polular and effective new illegal immigration law. 

The law allows police officers to check the legal status of people when suspicion exists, detain them and turn them over to federal authorities.  It is described by as the strictest and most effective state immigration law in the nation. 

Since the law came into force, more than 2,000 likely illegal alien students have been pulled out of school, thus freeing up classroom space and education dollars for legal Alabama children.

Today's desperate action by the Obama administration comes after a federal district judge in Alabama on Wednesday denied an emergency request from the Justice Department and civil rights and pro-amnesty groups aimed at blocking parts of the new law.

Chris Christie Supports Amnesty for Illegal Aliens

Oct. 4, 2011

Have you noticed the hypocrisy of New Jersey Governor and potential presidential candidate Chris Christie's support for Comprehensive Immigration Reform Amnesty for illegal aliens?   This while he is bashing others like Texas Governor Rick Perry for supporting licenses and in-state tuition for illegal immigrants.

Christie defeated Democratic Governor Corzine after making a top campaign issue of Corzine's support for licenses and in-state tuition for illegal aliens, both of which are opposed by approximately 80% of all Americans, including majorities of blacks, Democrats, and legal Hispanics according to numerous polls.

Christie's tough language on illegal ommigration issues, and his public apology, led New Jersey voters to forgive him for his comments in 2008 claiming “being in this country without proper documentation is not a crime.”

After using the issue to defeat an incumbent Governor, Chris Christie then proclaimed his support for Comprehensive Immigration Reform Amnesty and a massive change in existing federal law to accommodate millions of illegal immigrants.

While bashing Rick Perry for supporting in-state tuition for illegal immigrants, Christie has shown his support for granting them Amnesty and then subsequently licenses and in-state tuition.  If Chris Christie steps into the presidential race, he may well take the "Perry Plunge" once both his
hypocrisy and support for Amnesty for illegal aliens is revealed to conservative
voters.

In the opinion of MFIRE, both Rick Perry and Chris Christie are unacceptable based on their rankings as AMNESTY supporters.

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Judge Upholds Most of Alabama's Law Illegal Enforcement Immigration Law

Sept. 28

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- In the latest ruling, a Birmingham federal judge this afternoon again upheld most sections of Alabama's tough new law.  Read more:  http://blog.al.com/breaking/2011/09/federal_judge_throws_out_xxxx.html

Should Rick Perry be Finished?   You Decide.

Sept. 23, 2011

Rick Perry Is Finished Posted on Friday, September 23 @ 10:49:47 EDT Topic: Americans for Legal Immigration PAC

For National Release September 23, 2011 CONTACT: Americans for Legal Immigration PAC (ALIPAC) Press@alipac.us (866) 703-0864 Texas Governor Perry destroyed his chances of winning the GOP Presidential primary during last night's debate when he defended his support for in-state tuition for illegal aliens which is opposed by 81% of all Americans. "Rick Perry proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is not the right choice for America by supporting these radical illegal immigration attracting measures," said William Gheen, President of ALIPAC. "Perry's support for in-state tuition for illegals forces taxpayers to pay to replace their own children in the limited seats in our colleges!" Prior to 2005, several states like Texas passed in-state tuition for illegals into law without adequate public or lawmaker debate and knowledge. In 2005, Americans for Legal Immigration PAC defeated North Carolina's HB 1183's In-state tuition for illegal immigrants and then went on to use new strategies to defeat similar measures in 20 other states. Americans for Legal Immigration PAC has become a top voice in America representing the over 80% of US citizens opposed to this measure. Rick Perry was heavily booed for the second time last night as he continued to promote in-state tuition for illegal aliens. Mitt Romney opposed Perry's positions and pointed out that Perry's in-state tuition for illegal aliens law was forcing Texans to pay approximately $100,000 in tax monies to support each of the current 16,000 illegal immigrants in Texas colleges. Romney went on to paraphrase ALIPAC's platform "Comprehensive Immigration Enforcement" which includes adequately enforcing America's existing immigration and border laws by cracking down on employers, securing the borders, and removing taxpayer benefits for illegals like Perry's tuition breaks. "GOP voters cannot vote for Rick Perry now without legitimizing and supporting in-state tuition for illegal immigrants," said William Gheen. "Perry has assured his own defeat despite the fact that he is receiving so much support and favoritism from globalist groups in the media. It is clear to me that the globalists who are responsible for illegal immigration in America are using their power to promote Rick Perry at this time." The Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) has just released a new study illustrating that 81% of the 'new jobs' created in Texas under Rick Perry have been taken by legal and illegal immigrants instead of suffering American citizens. Rick Perry Booed Again For Illegal Immigrant Support Plan http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ0POI1PUdI

Debate Over Mandatory E-Verify Continues Next Week Call House Judiciary Members And Urge Them To Preserve State Enforcement Authority! Today's scheduled mark-up of Rep. Smith's mandatory E-Verify bill (H.R. 2885) only made it through opening statements by House Judiciary Committee members before adjourning until Wednesday of next week. H.R. 2885, also called the "Legal Workforce Act", requires all employers nationwide to use the E-Verify system to verify the work authorization of new hires. Amendments on the E-Verify bill are expected next Wednesday when the House Judiciary Committee reconvenes. While FAIR has always supported mandatory E-Verify, we are asking our members to call members of the House Judiciary Committee and urge them to either delete or amend the preemption provision (Section 6) of the bill. As currently written, that language would strip away the authority of state and local governments to go after employers that hire illegal aliens. In today's hearing, True Immigration Reformer Congressman Steve King (R-IA) praised Chairman Lamar Smith (R-TX) for "laying the foundation" for an E-Verify system, but said preemption was "the number one issue" that must be addressed in this bill. Rep. King said the federal government is unwilling to enforce immigration laws, and urged the Committee to restore the authority of state and local governments to enforce our immigration laws when the federal government fails. Meanwhile, Representative Dan Lungren (R-CA) told committee members that he would have a hard time supporting the mandatory E-Verify bill if the Committee doesn't also adopt a sweeping expansion of the agricultural guest worker program. He argued that reforming the H-2A program alone is insufficient and that an entirely new program is necessary to meet the needs of agricultural employers. Lungren claimed that anyone who suggests American workers can perform all the needed agricultural work simply does not understand agriculture. The House Judiciary Committee is expected to mark up Rep. Smith's agricultural guest worker bill immediately after it marks up the mandatory E-Verify bill. The House Judiciary Committee will meet again on Wednesday of next week to debate and amend the E-Verify bill. Please call members of the Judiciary Committee NOW and urge them to restore the ability of state and local governments to enforce our immigration laws! Tell them: You want a mandatory E-Verify law that is enforceable by both state and federal authorities. State and local governments must be able to enforce our immigration laws when the federal government refuses to do so. Find out how to contact members of the Judiciary Committee here.

From:   Roy Beck, President, NumbersUSA Date:   Monday 12SEP2011     3:30 p.m. EDT

LAMAR SMITH'S E-VERIFY BILL TO BE 'MARKED UP' IN JUDICIARY COMMITTEE THIS THURSDAY PLEASE PHONE YOUR U.S. REPRESENTATIVE ON THE COMMITTEE It is finally happening! A mandatory E-Verify bill is moving through committee. We can see this into law THIS FALL -- if we push hard enough. ACTION: Go to this Phone Alert on your NumbersUSA Action Board. It has the key talking points and the phone numbers to call. http://www.numbersusa.com/phones?ID=13461 Legislation is finally moving through committee (a) to mandate E-Verify nationally, (b) to take away the ability of illegal aliens to use stolen identities to steal American jobs, (c) and to begin opening up hundreds of thousands of construction, manufacturing and service jobs for unemployed Americans. A few minutes ago, the "mark-up" (the process of considering amendments and voting out the bill) was announced to start Thursday morning. Now is the time to pour every bit of activism you can give to helping Members of the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary understand why they must pass this bill. H.R. 2885 New Bill Number for Lamar Smith's "Legal Workforce Act" Since Rep. Smith (R-Texas) introduced this bill early in the year (as bill number H.R. 2164), he has gotten a lot of feedback and made enough changes to decide to re-introduce the bill under a different number. INCLUDES A NEW PROVISION TO HELP STATE AND LOCAL ENFORCEMENT OF IMMIGRATION LAWS All the basic elements that we've described in the past are still in the bill (despite huge efforts by powerful forces to water it down). But this bill has a wonderful addition. The bill creates an office within ICE Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), whose sole purpose is to respond to -- and investigate -- state and local governmental agency complaints about businesses hiring and/or employing illegal immigrants. This new office is required to respond within five business days of the filing of the complaint. Attorneys General, prosecutors and other state and local officials who believe they see a pattern of a business employing illegal aliens will have a direct line to ICE with a guarantee of rapid response. As these complaints will be a matter of public record, failure of ICE to obey the law will provide direct evidence for congressional hearings into Administration misfeasance. Fortunately, another office of this type that has been operating as a complaint desk on another immigration matter has a reported high degree of complaince by the feds and satisfaction by state and local officials. Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) is the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. Major forces have attempted to get him to keep postponing the moving of this bill. We had campaigned hard to get a vote in committee before the August recess. We are ecstatic that Chairman Smith has made this bill such a priority and is moving this so soon after Labor Day. 202-224-3121 Capitol Switchboard You can always use this switchboard number to get to your Members of Congress. But you'll do best to have our Phone Action Note in front of you when you call. THANKS FOR CALLING NOW -- BEFORE THE THURSDAY COMMITTEE MARKUP,

Obama Administration Declares Administrative Amnesty for Illegal Aliens Cases Against Non-Criminal Aliens to be Dropped Unilaterally | In a policy statement posted on the White House website and in letters to leading members of Congress, the Obama administration declared what amounts to an administrative amnesty for nearly all illegal aliens without criminal records. Read the Article FAIR Leads the Response to Administration’s Amnesty Plan | As FAIR has often done when big immigration stories break, we provided the immediate response in the media to the administration’s policy announcement, and began to rally public opposition to this blatant attempt to enact a de facto amnesty. Read the Article Obama Administration Sues Alabama | In a prelude to the August 18 announcement that virtually all illegal aliens who have not committed other crimes in the U.S. would receive administrative amnesty, the Obama administration filed suit against Alabama in an effort to prevent that state’s immigration enforcement policy from going into effect. Read the Article . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Want to receive ONLY the electronic version of the Immigration Report? Update your subscription preferences. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   Federation for American Immigration Reform Copyright © 2011. All rights reserved.

SEPTEMBER 2011 ALSO IN THIS ISSUE Black Angelinos Harmed by Illegal Immigration, Ignored by Leaders Gov. Brewer Asks Supreme Court to Rule on S.B. 1070 Secure Communities Program to Continue Without Local Cooperation A Message from the Chairman, Roy Porter Who Was Briefed About the Administrations Amnesty Plan? . . . . . . . . . . . . . Your support is crucial to our ability to improve border security, stop illegal immigration, and promote immigration levels consistent with the national interest. FAIR is a member of the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance and is one of a select few non-profit organizations that meet their high standards of operation, spending, truthfulness, and disclosure in fundraising. Charity Navigator has awarded FAIR four out of a possible four stars. In earning Charity Navigator's highest rating, FAIR has demonstrated exceptional financial health, outperforming most of its peers in its efforts to manage and grow its finances in the most fiscally responsible way possible. . . . . . . . . . . . .

US Congress Debates Nationwide Requirment for E-Verify.  

Southern Baptist Leadership  Appear to Endorse Pathway to Citizenship (Amnesty).  Do They Speak for You?

June 22, 2011

Read more:  http://www.fairus.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=24219&security=1601&news_iv_ctrl=1721#1

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Mexico Sues Georgia over Illegal Immigration Enforcement Law

June 16, 2011

Read more:  http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20110616/NEWS03/110616018/Mexico-other-countries-join-Georgia-immigration-suit?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Home

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Alabama sets nation's toughest immigration law - June 9th

Republican Governor Robert Bentley on Thursday signed into law a crackdown on illegal immigration in Alabama that both supporters and critics consider the toughest in the nation.

The measure will require public schools to determine the citizenship status of students -- a provision not included in an Arizona law that has been at the forefront of actions by several states to curb illegal immigration.

Under the Alabama law, police must detain someone they suspect of being in the country illegally if the person cannot produce proper documentation when stopped for any reason.

Read story here

 

Four out of five likely voters in the poll said people should be required to show proof of legal presence in the U.S. before receiving any government services.

 

(CNSNews.com) – Most voters in the United States want stricter enforcement of immigration laws, and a vast majority say people should be required to prove they are in the country legally before receiving any federal, state or local services, according to a new poll.

 

Read more:  http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/show-legal-documents-taking-any-gov-t-se

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AZ Border Sheriff Confirms Fed Policy Against Arresting  Illegals

April 19, 2011

An Arizona sheriff says he has been flooded with calls and emails of support from local and federal agents who back his claims that the U.S. Border Patrol has effectively ordered them to stop apprehending illegal immigrants crossing the U.S.-Mexican border.

Read More:  http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/04/19/arizona-sheriff-cites-flood-border-agents-confirming-feds-apprehension-policy/

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Colorado Sec. of State: 12,000 Non-Citizens Registered to Vote; 5,000 Voted in 2010.  How many are voting in Mississippi ?

March 31, 2011

Read more:  http://michellemalkin.com/2011/03/31/colorado/

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Mississippi's AZ Style Immigration bill dies, but battle's not over

March 30, 2011

"We want to make people aware of why these bills are not getting through," said Dr. Rodney Hunt, president of the Mississippi Federation for Immigration Enforcement. "The citizens of this state support increased enforcement."    The reason this bill failed can be traced directly to liberal Democrat Speaker Billy McCoy, and to some rural voters willingness to elect Democrat representatives.   Unless and until we change the leadership in the State House of Representatives, nothing will change.  MFIRE is more committed than ever to changing the balance of power in the House.

Read more:  http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20110330/NEWS/103300344/Immigration-bill-dies-battle-s-not-over?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Home

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Pair of Illegal Aliens Attempt Armed Robbery of Pearl Merchant.  One shot and killed, other in critical condition.

March 24, 2011, Pearl, MS

 Read more:  http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20110324/NEWS01/103240349/Charges-unlikely-store-shooting?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Home

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Virginia Gov. McDonnell Accelerates E-Verify Law Through Executive Order

Tuesday, March 22, 2011, 10:34 AM EDT - posted on NumbersUSA

Gov. Bob McDonnell

Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell ordered that all executive branch state agencies must use E-Verify to check all new hires beginning June 1, 2011. The state legislature had passed a bill last year that requires state agencies to begin using E-Verify by the end of 2012, but Gov. McDonnell's executive order implements the law 18 months sooner.

"Federal law rightly requires that companies and governments only employ individuals who may legally work in this country - either U.S. citizens or foreign citizens who have the necessary authorization." Governor McDonnell said through a press release. "My administration has focused on enforcing the nation's immigration laws to ensure that all of those working in Virginia's public and private sectors are legally eligible to do so.

Read more:  http://www.numbersusa.com/content/news/march-22-2011/virginia-gov-mcdonnell-accelerates-e-verify-law-through-executive-order.html

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E-Verify Works

Read more facts on E-Verify:  http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=7c579589cdb76210VgnVCM100000b92ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=7c579589cdb76210VgnVCM100000b92ca60aRCRD

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Howard Industries Admits Illegal Hiring

Feb. 25, 2011

Guilty plea stems from raid in 2008; company agrees to pay $2.5M fine

One of Mississippi’s most successful private companies pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiracy to violate immigration laws related to the nation’s largest workplace raid on illegal aliens, federal authorities said.

Yet another reason why MS needs Senate Bill 2179 (the AZ Style Illegal Immigration Enforcement Law).

Read more:  http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011110224043

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 58 Criminal Illegal Aliens Arrested in Jackson Area

Feb. 23, 2011

 During a four-day operation over the weekend in the Jackson metro area, federal immigration officers arrested 58 criminal aliens.

 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said those arrested included convicted criminal illegal immigrants, immigration fugitives and known gang members and affiliates. Some of those arrested also had prior criminal convictions for drug sales, sexual assault, assault and drunk driving, officials said.

This is just the tip of the iceberg and one more example of why MS needs SB 2179 ( The AZ Style Illegal Immigration Enforcement Law ).

Read more: http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20110223/NEWS/110223018/58-arrested-Jackson-immigration-raids?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Home

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The Two Sides of the Mississippi Debate.

MFIRE Founder Rodney Hunt & MS Sen. Joey Fillengane Quoted in Fox News Story.

Feb. 15, 2010

Read More:  http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2011/02/15/sides-mississippis-immigration-debate/

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Mexico:  Two More ICE Agents Shot, One Killed.

Feb. 15, 2010

MEXICO CITY—An agent for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency was shot and killed and another agent wounded by unknown gunmen in central Mexico on Tuesday, according to U.S. officials.

Read More:  http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704343404576146890723519596.html?mod=WSJ_hp_MIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsSecond

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Presidential Hopeful Haley Barbour on the Illegal Alien Problem

Feb. 14, 2011

What Haley didn't tell the interviewer is that he was hired by Mexico to lobby for Amnesty.

See the interview:  http://yallpolitics.com/index.php/yp/post/28224/

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Will the AZ Illegal Immigration Law Go National?

Feb. 4, 2011

 U.S. Congressman Ed Royce (R-Ca.) thinks he has enough support in the House of Representatives to pass new immigration legislation very similar to the controversial and much-discussed Arizona law, S.B.1070.

Read more:  http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/02/04/congressman-wants-arizona-immigration-law-go-national/

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Clever Ploy by Democrats who Oppose Immigration Law Enforcement

       The Senate bill (SB 2179). Mississippi's Arizona Style Illegal Immigration Enforcement Bill, was written by Republican leadership and supported by legislators who have worked for the last several years to reduce illegal immigration in Mississippi.  The House Democrat leadership has blocked similar legislation in the past by utilizing pocket vetoes by committee chairmen sympathetic to illegal immigration that were appointed by House Speaker Billy McCoy.  Have the tactics changed this year?  Perhaps not.

       The House substitute for SB 2179 was introduced without prior notice in the House Judiciary A Committee, read one time, and a vote was called without a chance for debate. Speaker McCoy immediately reconvened the House Chamber within a matter of minutes and the  House version was brought to the floor by Rep. Bobby Moak (D), who has not openly supported enforcement legislation in the past. After a brief introduction of the substitute bill Speaker McCoy called for a vote without a chance for discussion or debate.

       Legislators who support enforcement legislation voted for the bill to move the process along because they feared this would be their only vote on illegal immigration this year. 

       The process in the House contrasted to the four hours of open debate and the chance given for full understanding of provisions of the bill and an amendment process that was overseen by Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant in the Senate.  This was preceded by two days of Senate hearings in September and two days of committee discussion and amendments prior to being introduced on the Senate floor by Sen. Joey Fillingane.

       The House changes that eliminate protection for employers who use E-Verify for employment verification and the monetary fines levied by the state on employers who are convicted of hiring illegal aliens are provisions that endanger the bill’s enactment and are thought by some to have been inserted to poison the bill and prevent its passage.  Federal law prohibits states and local governments from levying these monetary fines against unlawful employers and therefore this civil fine would be preempted. Federal law does allow an employer’s business license to be revoked for illegal employment.  This is the path that state legislatures across the nation have taken to penalize unscrupulous  employers and is the penalty method in the Senate bill. 

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     Does Mississippi need “Arizona style” legislation to reduce illegal immigration? Legislation modeled after Arizona’s law has been introduced in twenty states this year because of the federal government’s failure to control our borders and enforce laws against illegal immigration.

    The purpose of government is to protect its citizens. This includes protection from the problems associated with massive and uncontrolled illegal immigration. Our representatives are elected to serve their constituent citizens, not foreign nationals who have broken our laws and are illegally in this country.

     Advocates for illegal immigrants, sympathetic news media, opportunistic businessmen, and enabling politicians often blur and even erase the distinctions between legal and illegal immigrants. The U.S. has the most liberal immigration policy of any nation on earth with over 1,000,000 legal immigrants admitted each year. This legislation is specifically designed to address only “illegal immigration”. We are a nation of laws.

     Proponents of this legislation are trying to preserve our national sovereignty and American jobs. Illegal immigration adds to problems such as unemployment, wage depression, increased health care costs, crime, increased education costs, school crowding, increase in energy use, and welfare costs.

     Recent polls of likely voters show that 61% support a law similar to the Arizona law for their state and 73% believe that law officers should check immigration status during traffic stops.

     In the September Mississippi Senate hearings, the State Auditor’s office estimated there were 90,000 to 100,000 people illegally in our state. In vivid testimony, Madison County Sheriff Toby Trowbridge was asked by a senator how often his officers came in contact with illegal immigrants and he replied, “We encounter one or two people an hour in Madison County.” Apparently we have a problem.

     The two magnets for illegal immigration are jobs and social benefits. By decreasing the number of illegal immigrants, thousands of jobs with better wages would be open for Mississippi workers. Mississippi’s official unemployment rate is 9.9%, representing 129,000 fellow citizens who are looking for work but are unemployed. Our real unemployment rate is 17%.

     The Senate recently passed SB 2179 by an overwhelming vote of 34-15.  It allows law officers to check the immigration status of persons suspected to be in the U.S. illegally, but only after a lawful stop, detention, or arrest. It strengthens our current E-Verify law by requiring the Attorney General to actually enforce the law and requires the Board of Public Contractors to review contractor compliance with the E-Verify requirements.

      In surprising and swift developments a substitute bill was passed in the House, 77-40,    without debate.   Reform minded legislators voted to advance the bill fearing this would be their only vote on illegal immigration this year.

      SB 2179 is expected to go to conference where significant differences will be addressed. While retaining much of the language of the Senate bill there are some House changes that could cause derailment.

      The House bill deleted a provision that presently offers protection to employers that use E-Verify.  E-Verify is recognized as the key to reducing illegal immigration.   Businessmen that follow the law and use our best tool for employment verification should not be subjected to potential bankruptcy. Our target should be the unscrupulous employer.

       Also the House version stipulates that monetary fines be levied against businesses convicted of hiring illegal aliens.  Existing federal law bars states from imposing these fines and this provision would be preempted if challenged in court.  The only acceptable state penalty that has been established is the suspension of business licenses. This penalty   is our current law (Mississippi Employment Protection Act) and is in the Senate bill.

       The citizens of this state expect legislators to work together for meaningful legislation that will withstand court challenges.

Dr. Rodney Hunt

President, MFIRE (MS Federation for Immigration Reform and Enforcement)