Another State Senate Passes Immigration Bill

[Pooky 3,825]

Mississippi Senate passes immigration bill

ELIZABETH CRISP • ELIZABETH.CRISP@CLARIONLEDGER.COM • JANUARY 18, 2011

After a debate that stretched on for more than four hours today, the state Senate passed legislation modeled largely off of Arizona's controversial immigration law.

Senate Bill 2179, which would allow law enforcement to check the status of those they suspect are in the country illegally, now moves to the House, where it is expected to face more resistance. The bill passed 34-15 in the Senate.

Both chambers have to approve the bill before it can become law.

Sen. Joey Fillingane, a Republican from Sumrall who authored the legislation, said he thinks the Mississippi bill is an improvement over Arizona's, which is being challenged in federal court.

"We did not want anyone to go out and start picking on or racial profiling people," he said.

Unlike in Arizona, the status check in Mississippi could only be done during a lawful stop for another offense.

Still, opponents say they are concerned people here legally could become targets based on ethnicity or race.

The bill also provides for several additional illegal immigration deterrents, including stiffer penalties for companies that knowingly hire illegal workers and penalties for cities that don't enforce the law - essentially becoming safe havens for undocumented residents.

After reviewing several technical amendments to the bill, some Democratic lawmakers pressed - unsuccessfully - to have it sent back to committee for more work this morning.

"We are rushing through this process," said Sen. David Blount, D-Jackson.

The deadline for Senate floor action on the bill would have been Feb. 11.

The legislation has been the subject of several demonstrations at the Capitol in recent months.

It is supported by tea party groups, but immigrants rights advocates argue it is unnecessary and will lead to racial profiling.

People from both sides watched the floor debate this morning from the gallery.

After the proposal to send the bill back to committee failed, several in the audience applauded, prompting Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant to ask them to be quiet.

Mississippi Clarion Ledger link

As more and more States pass similar immigration measures, will Washington in general, and the current administration in particular, be forced to sit up and take notice? Mississippi won't be the last State to do this, either, not by a long shot. Is the administration going to challenge each State in court?

Or will they finally understand the overwhelming public sentiment and enforce the laws at a Federal level that the States are seeking to replicate and enforce at the State level?

We may find out sooner, rather than later.

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

A heated four hour debate? Wow! Is that a long time for legislation to be discussed in Mississippi?

[DEDixon 39]

A heated four hour debate? Wow! Is that a long time for legislation to be discussed in Mississippi?

3 and a 1/2 hours more than necessary.

[peejay 327]

A heated four hour debate? Wow! Is that a long time for legislation to be discussed in Mississippi?

Not really. There is a lot of money to be made exploiting cheap illegal alien labor. Mississippi is full of chicken farms and chicken processing plants. Hence one side of the argument.

And then there are the locals that do not like seeing what their communities are turning into from this large scale influx of illegality, corruption, and illegal aliens. Hence the other side of the argument.

Then throw the illegal alien cheerleaders (aka: "immigrant rights activists") into the mix and I'm surprised it was limited to 4 hours.

[Pooky 3,825]

And next to follow is ... Indiana.

The push by the States to enact and enforce legislation that the Federal Government has abrogated gathers pace.

[Robby999 1,024]

California might want to look into passing some kind of immigration bill also! http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/01/19/welfare-tab-children-illegal-immigrants-estimated-m-la-county/