Oklahoma and Immigration Law

[guido911]

(Reuters) - The Oklahoma Senate on Wednesday approved a bill that would create criminal penalties for undocumented immigrants who work in Oklahoma and those who smuggle them into the state.

It would also give police officers more authority to question citizenship status of suspects.

The bill, approved by a 37-8 vote, originated in the Oklahoma House and underwent revisions in the Senate. The two chambers must reconcile differences in the bill before it can go to Governor Mary Fallin. Senators faced a deadline on Thursday to pass bills that originate in the House.

Oklahoma is one of several states -- including Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, South Carolina and Utah -- where Republicans are pushing immigration measures reminiscent of the one that became law in Arizona a year ago. The Arizona law required police to investigate the immigration status of anyone they detained and suspected of being in the country illegally.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/28/us-immigration-oklahoma-idUSTRE73R08T20110428?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews&rpc=22&sp=true

Let me be the first.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Just another ignorant day in the Oklahoma State Legislature.

Why is it the electorate keeps electing these clowns??  I am beginning to think that is self-evident.

[guido911]

Just another ignorant day in the Oklahoma State Legislature.

Why is it the electorate keeps electing these clowns??  I am beginning to think that is self-evident.

I'm more interested in knowing why we keep electing people that are obviously less educated and intelligent as you. Those legislators people voted for (the "electorate") to represent them are in no way as enlightened as you. Sheesh, attacking your neighbor who wants solutions to the illegal immigration problem? What are your solutions because continuing the present approach appears to not be working very well.

[heironymouspasparagus]

And again, and again, and again, and again, you show that you either are not paying ANY attention, or have NO understanding.  Will you listen this time??  And remember??

What neighbor is it that wants solutions to the illegal immigration problem??  The ones that work for a living maybe.  The ones that are elected - not a chance - that would mean stepping on the toes of their supporters - you know them; the ones who benefit most from the illegals.

We actually agree on one thing - the current approach isn't working at all, let alone well.  I have detailed exactly what it will take - and the ONLY things that will work - to solve the illegal immigration problem.  Want to hear them again??

Well, too bad, here they come....

Number 1.  Quit inviting them!  That is the biggest reason they come; it has been "unofficial" official policy for a couple hundred years to "invite" one ethnic group after another to come to the land of opportunity to work for what amounts to slave wages (not to even mention the real slave situation we had to endure for such a miserably long time!).  (Irish, Chinese, Italians, Polish, et al...well any thinking person reading this gets the idea... do you?)  Of course, we might want to take that sign down on the Statue of Liberty if this is a course we want to take.  The "cheap labor" of today is the illegal immigrant from south of the Rio Grande, from a variety of countries.  India looks like it is developing as a future source, too (Google John Pickle slave camp).

Number 2.  Make one more teeny, tiny, simple little law (Federal) that says something along the lines of;
Any person, company, corporation or business entity that hires any person present in the United States illegally shall be guilty of a felony.  The CEO, President, and Vice-President of Human Resources, or equivalents, shall be individually and collectively be responsible for said hiring and shall be guilty of felonies.  Upon conviction, they shall all be subject to a prison term with a minimum sentence of 10 years and 1 day, and shall pay a fine of $50,000 per occurrence each.  In addition, they shall be liable in civil court to any person who may have applied for any job and been denied for any reason.  Upon finding of liability in civil court, anyone who brings a suit against them for hiring violations shall be entitled to a judgement of no less than $50,000 per occurrence.  Put an emergency clause in it so it takes effect immediately without a 90 day waiting period.  By the end of May we could be illegal-free.

Being a lawyer, you can pretty it up in legalese, but you get the idea.  Within about a week (probably less), there would no longer be an illegal immigrant problem.  

See how easy that was??  Even a caveman can do it!!

So, when the solution is soooo simple and the problem is complained about soooo loudly, WHY has nothing been done?  In fact, why has there even been an amnesty to the tune of 8 or 10 million previous lawbreakers??  (You remember - George Bush I??)

[Conan71]

Wait... deja vu all over again:

"(Reuters) - The Oklahoma Senate on Wednesday approved a bill that would create criminal penalties for undocumented immigrants who work in Oklahoma and those who smuggle them into the state.

It would also give police officers more authority to question citizenship status of suspects."

Uh, wasn't that the primary purpose of HB 1804 which stands mostly still fully intact as passed?  Are they still that seriously back-logged in the House and Senate they are still stuck on their "statement" legislation for the year?

[heironymouspasparagus]

Wasting time and diluting efforts to even mention undocumented workers.  And the people the smuggle them in.  This is like fighting a fire by spraying the hose at the top of the flames, when everyone knows you have to get to the root of the fire.  The companies and individuals that create the demand for slave wage labor.

Texas did a stupid little law a couple months ago that spelled out all these tough penalties, then made the exclusion for illegals performing household work.  So, when they put on a roof, they have to come inside and dust the table and all is forgiven.


The whole immigration issue and the way it is handled has some similarities to the war on drugs.  We target small time users and growers of marijuana (to the tune of spending $18 billion a year on grass law enforcement activities) which diverts attention from the real problem - the manufacture and importation of harsh toxic, highly addictive chemicals; think crack, meth, pcp, etc.

We are shooting at the top of the flames, rather than attacking the roots.

Forget marijuana, psyllicibin (sp?) and anything that grows in or on the ground.  Decriminalize it and leave it alone.  Forget about it.  It ain't a problem.

Then, make the manufacture and distribution of the chemicals a mandatory life in prison, no possibility of parole.  If user dies or hurts or kills someone else, or anyone gets property damage, on these harsh chemicals, and connections proven, then everyone in the chain from the one whole sold the s*** to the dead, up to the distributor, importer or manufacturer is guilty of felony premeditated first degree murder, with death penalty attached.

Sell some crack and the crackhead gets in a car wreck and dies or kills someone else, then everyone involved up the chain gets the death penalty.

Make a little meth, sell it to another meth-head.  Second one robs a pharmacy, then both subject to the death penalty for assault with intent to kill, and the property damage (robbery).

The solutions to some of these really nasty problems is not that hard.  Just got to have the will as a society to drop the hammer.

[jamesrage]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/28/us-immigration-oklahoma-idUSTRE73R08T20110428?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews&rpc=22&sp=true

I support this.Hopefully after this passes they make one that's tougher on the scum who hire illegals.

Let me be the first.

If this was California people like you who live to spew lies about those who oppose illegal immigration would be taken seriously.  Fortunately this is Oklahoma were people like you are laughed at instead of taken seriously.  Instead of making fraudulent claims of racism  you should actually debate why Oklahomans should tolerate illegals.  Don't you people ever worry about about your bogus claims of racism making people blow off any actual claims of racism that may happen? You can only cry wolf so many times.

[jamesrage]

Wait... deja vu all over again:

"(Reuters) - The Oklahoma Senate on Wednesday approved a bill that would create criminal penalties for undocumented immigrants who work in Oklahoma and those who smuggle them into the state.

It would also give police officers more authority to question citizenship status of suspects."

Uh, wasn't that the primary purpose of HB 1804 which stands mostly still fully intact as passed?  Are they still that seriously back-logged in the House and Senate they are still stuck on their "statement" legislation for the year?

This looks like they borrow some of the stuff of Arizona sb 1070 and adds more penalties for illegals.

[nathanm]

You really think making them criminals is going to help anything? As if we don't spend enough money on prisons..

[dbacks fan]

Just want to say good luck with that law.

[Conan71]

You really think making them criminals is going to help anything? As if we don't spend enough money on prisons..

They will get sentenced to Mexico.  I hear parole from there takes anywhere from two days to six weeks 

[jamesrage]

You really think making them criminals is going to help anything? As if we don't spend enough money on prisons..

Illegal immigration is already a crime. A misdemeanor for the first offense and a felony for the 2nd offense.
http://americanpatrol.com/REFERENCE/isacrime.html
Under Title 8 Section 1325 of the U.S. Code, "Improper Entry by Alien," any citizen of any country other than the United States who:

   Enters or attempts to enter the United States at any time or place other than as designated by immigration officers; or
   Eludes examination or inspection by immigration officers; or
   Attempts to enter or obtains entry to the United States by a willfully false or misleading representation or the willful concealment of a material fact;

has committed a federal crime.

Violations are punishable by criminal fines and imprisonment for up to six months. Repeat offenses can bring up to two years in prison. Additional civil fines may be imposed at the discretion of immigration judges, but civil fines do not negate the criminal sanctions or nature of the offense.

[Gaspar]

I thought this was the law:

Illegal immigration is considered a felony, punishable by up to two years in prison. Immigrants who are deported and attempt to re-enter can be imprisoned for 10 years. Visa violators can be sentenced to six-year terms. Those who help illegal immigrants are also considered felons.

The state can also deport legal immigrants who are deemed detrimental to "economic or national interests," violate law, are not "physically or mentally healthy" or lack the "necessary funds for their sustenance" and/or for their dependents.

[Gaspar]

I thought this was the law:

Illegal immigration is considered a felony, punishable by up to two years in prison. Immigrants who are deported and attempt to re-enter can be imprisoned for 10 years. Visa violators can be sentenced to six-year terms. Those who help illegal immigrants are also considered felons.

The state can also deport legal immigrants who are deemed detrimental to "economic or national interests," violate law, are not "physically or mentally healthy" or lack the "necessary funds for their sustenance" and/or for their dependents.

OH!  Wait!  My bad, that's the law in Mexico pertaining to illegal immigration . 

[Conan71]

OH!  Wait!  My bad, that's the law in Mexico pertaining to illegal immigration . 

Man, they sound like a bunch of racist haters, don't they?