Caucus Press Release: House Rejects Senate Immigration Bill, Heads to Conference Committee
Feb 21, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Majority Leader Merrill
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House Rejects Senate Immigration Bill, Heads to Conference Committee
COLUMBIA -- House Republicans voted to "non-concur" with Senate amendments to the illegal immigration bill today, rejecting changes to a bill that created giant loopholes.
"The Senate is hiding behind a smokescreen of press releases after last week's faux debate," said Majority Leader Jim Merrill. "What is most surprising is that a number of Senators who are most deft at passing legislation shockingly could not convince their colleagues on the importance of a tough law."
"Facts are facts and the loopholes are wider than our unprotected border," said Merrill. "We will work with the Senators to fix that."
The immigration bill is the top priority on the House Republican Caucus' 2008 Legislative Agenda. Among the most glaring loopholes that Senators included in the House bill:
* The Senate "required" private businesses to use EITHER the e-verify provisions or file an I-9 form. But business operating lawfully are already required to file the I-9 form for all employees, so the Senate changes provide an illusion of a new requirement when the same process already exists. In contrast, the House's requirement to use the Federal
e-verify system is an additional level of protection above the much-derided I-9 form.
* The Senate allowed ANY 501(c)3 non-profit to be exempt from language making it a crime to harbor illegal immigrants. This would enable anyone who wants to harbor illegals to hide behind a non-profit designation.
* The Senate bill weakens language directing how the state should negotiate with the Federal Government on how to enforce immigration laws. It specifically removed language that would seek permission for South Carolina to deport illegal immigrants.
* The Senate bill removed penalties placed on contractors who fail to comply with employment verification on public contracts, giving the state no recourse against anyone profiting from public projects while hiring illegal immigrants.
By not concurring with the Senate amendments, the House insisted on its stronger version. The bill is expected to go to a conference committee.
"There is no way the House can concur on a bill that is weaker than the one we sent to the Senate," House Speaker Bobby Harrell said. "I am confident our conferees will fight to keep real reforms in the bill and help us pass the measures our citizens have been calling for into law."
The number of illegal immigrants in South Carolina has exploded 15 fold in the last decade, and according to the best estimates, illegal immigrants cost South Carolina taxpayers more than $186 million a year.
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