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Posted: 4:43 PM Feb 27, 2008
Illegal Immigration Topic of Senate Hearing
Senate committee hears from supporters of immigration legislation
Reporter: Rae Chelle Davis Email Address: RaeChelle.Davis@wibw.com |
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10 Comments 
The Kansas Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee heard testimony from supporters of Senate Bill 458.
The bill, introduced by Senator Peggy Palmer and co-sponsored by four other senators, seeks to solve problems created by the employment of illegal immigrants.
458 prohibits illegal immigrants from receiving any state benefits or services. Opponents of the immigration legislation complained that E-Verify, the federal database used to check whether a person is in the country legally, is flawed. Opponents will have a separate hearing on Tuesday at 10:30 am.
"This goes back to NAFTA when we started losing our manufacturing jobs and so we have to do something at the state level to protect us. Oklahoma, Colorado and Missouri have all passed similar legislation. So the illegals are going to be leaving those states and migrating to Kansas," said Paul Degener, President of Citizens for Immigration Reform in Topeka.
State Representatives from Texas were also present. Representative Debbie Riddle spoke about what a good opportunity this legislation provides for Kansas to become more secure.
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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Supporters of immigration legislation told a
Senate committee that Kansas will become a magnet for illegal
immigrants without stronger laws.
Federal and State Affairs Committee members were told Wednesday
that Kansas laws are so lenient that illegal immigrants are looking
at the state as a place to go when they leave neighboring states.
That's because those states have tougher laws, supporters of the
legislation said.
The committee will hear next week from opponents.
The bill under consideration requires employers to use a federal
database to verify whether a person can legally work.
It also requires law enforcement to check the citizenship of
anybody they detain and denies most public benefits to illegal
immigrants.
Latest Comments
It's interesting to read comments by Jerry. Since the illegal activities and attitudes of illegals reflect on the Mexican American community, most of my Mexican American friends don't want the illegals here. Illegal immigrants, especially in California, have purchased homes in this country illegally with subprime mortgages and are walking away from them. The illegal immigrant population is declining especially in States like Arizona where srict laws have been passed and enforced. The Arizona 9th circuit court of appeals has just ruled in favor of Arizona's law penalizing employers who hire illegal aliens. Arizona's Governor has just stated that contrary to popular belief, the exit of illegal aliens has not had a negative effect on businesses. Mexico's annual quota for immigrants is 100,000. They exceed that number by ten times each year depriving legal immigrants the opportunity to come here. They are here illegally, are cheating, and don't belong here. Time to wake up Kansas.
To the 22 Senators who voted against this bill. Thanks for nothing!! I am originally from Hutchinson and spent a few years in Wichita before being transfered to Dodge City in 1961. I have seen this peacefull little country town grow from 16,000 and about 20% Mexican American population to 27,000 to 30,000 with 48% TO 82% hispanic (mostly illegal) population. Our crime rate is through the roof, we are currently building a new jail, our grade schools are 80% Hispanic, our high school and middle school is 60% Hispanic, we have had to build five new grade schools, a new high school, and have purchased a college building to renovate for another middle school. We have armed, full time policemen in both the high school and middle school, our taxes are extremely high, our police force is understaffed, we require bilingual translators in all of our grade schools, and "white flight" is running rampant. Those of you in large metropolitan cities are insulated from this invasion. We aren't.
if they are going back to mexico now they are going to jail. immigration is at kci taking them and there kids to jail. and they are at the border doing the same thing taking them to jail there kids too. if obama gets in he's going to have a big mess right here in kansas. not counting the rest of the country. the hamster is not running in his wheel in your heads lawmakers. don't pour gas on the fire it's not working in tulsa okla. and thats a bigger town than topeka we don't have jobs to loose we don't have much here now. do you want everybody on welfare with no jobs or homes.
