January 29, 2010 in Idaho

Jorgenson unveils immigration bill

• Print
• Email
• Share

Betsy Russell photo

Sen. Mike Jorgenson, R-Hayden Lake, proposes sweeping legislation Friday targeting employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants; cities that offer “sanctuary” to undocumented aliens; and more. The Senate State Affairs Committee agreed unanimously to introduce the bill.
(Full-size photo)

BOISE - Sen. Mike Jorgenson, R-Hayden Lake, on Friday introduced sweeping anti-immigration legislation aimed at punishing Idaho employers who knowingly employ undocumented immigrants.

The bill also would declare issuing driver’s licenses to illegal residents “repugnant” and deny recognition of out-of-state driver’s licenses to those without legal immigration status; outlaw administering the written portion of the Idaho driver’s license test in any language other than English; ban anyone without proven legal status from receiving any state or local benefit; and cut off any state funding to cities that become “sanctuaries” for illegal aliens by failing to enforce sanctions.

Jorgenson said illegal immigrants cost Idaho millions of dollars, and with the state’s tight budget, cracking down is in order. “I believe we owe that to the taxpayers,” he said. “I think this is just about one of the best ways we can do that.”

Jorgenson, a third-term state senator, has proposed versions of such legislation repeatedly without success, but said this year he worked with University of Missori-Kansas City law professor Kris Kobach to draft Idaho-specific legislation. Jorgenson said when his bill gets a full hearing, Kobach will come to Idaho to testify at Jorgenson’s personal expense.

Sen. Curt McKenzie, R-Nampa, chairman of the Senate State Affairs Committee, said his plan is to hold a hearing, likely in mid-February, on three immigration bills: Jorgenson’s; another already introduced by Sen. John McGee, R-Caldwell, to make it a misdemeanor for an employer to knowingly hire someone based on false immigration documents; and a third in the works from Reps. Raul Labrador, R-Eagle, and Phil Hart, R-Athol.

“What I was going to do is wait to see what, if anything, comes out of the House, and then have a day or two or however long a time when the committee looks at all three of them together,” McKenzie said.

Hart said his and Labrador’s bill has just been drafted; at about half the length of Jorgenson’s, it also seeks to penalize employers for hiring undocumented workers.

Under Jorgenson’s measure, employers who knowingly employ undocumented aliens could face fines, jail time, and license suspensions. “The key language is ‘knowingly hire,’” Jorgenson said.

The Senate State Affairs Committee agreed unanimously this morning to introduce Jorgenson’s bill, but only after panel members had lots of questions for Jorgenson.

Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls, looking through the 16-page bill, asked Jorgenson, “If this type of conduct is already unlawful under (federal law) is it necessary for Idaho to even have this statute?”

Jorgenson responded that if the federal government isn’t adequately enforcing immigration laws, a state has “every right to use whatever means it has available to protect itself.”

McGee’s false-document bill, SB 1271, is co-sponsored by McKenzie; it was introduced in the same committee earlier this week.

Jorgenson, who had earlier characterized McGee’s bill as a “competing” bill backed by Idaho dairymen, whom he considers his main foes on the issue, said he now considers that measure a “companion bill” to his legislation. “That bill addresses none of the issues that I addressed. I certainly would support that bill as well,” he told The Spokesman-Review.

Seven comments on this story so far. Add yours!

• 

  costamonarca on January 29 at 12:17 p.m.

  fine/ punish the employers who expoit them too.

• 

  bdr on January 29 at 2:55 p.m.

  Jailbreak his white supremest group and the jobs done.

• 

  tinybobidaho on January 29 at 3:34 p.m.

  Senator Joegenson’s bill is the best thing that could happen for Idaho. This will discourage the illegal aliens from staying here, and from more coming here, and give these jobs back to the Idaho people. The other two bills introduced by Phil Hart and McGee are not worth the paper they are written on. Senator Jorgenson’s bill is the only one with teeth in it and we all need to get behind him on this if we don’t want this beautiful state to turn into another southern Californis.

• 

  redpony on January 29 at 4:29 p.m.

  This bill is necessary to stem the flood of illegal workers into Idaho. This needs to be done now, or the situation will worsen over time. At some point the chance to reverse the situation could be lost forever.

• 

  Merry on January 29 at 4:31 p.m.

  Bravo, Sen. Jorgensen. It is a sad commentary on the state of affairs that federal laws are ignored, so that states must take the problem of employing illegals into their own hands.
  Every last American that wants a job has to be employed, especially in this economy, and employers who whine about it, while they make larger profits with illegal aliens than they do hiring Americans, apparently need to get another law slammed on top of federal law — which they probably did not read or figured that no one would notice.

• 

  shastalin on January 29 at 7:04 p.m.

  Idaho better do something now, while they can! I moved here from a central California town that has been taken over by illegals, 60 percent illegals. There is no reversing it once it has happened! I never thought white would be a minority in my own town/country. I have NO desire to go back to California, too messed up.
  Take heed on dealing with illegals while you still can. Don’t ruin this wonderful state.

• 

  ctkarb84 on April 25 at 4:52 a.m.

  Go Mike I support your bill 100% this should have been done a long long time ago.We need to protect this country and its rights.I am sick of seeing good jobs end up in the wrong hands.We need to get this country back together.Where is the bill i would personally sign it.