I just KNEW this would happen. There are enough RonPaul lovers in this state that want to emulate Arizona. Espescially a senator who ENDORSED Rand Paul.
I'm just disgusted.
The hate groups are prevelant in my state....sigh....and are probably fine with what our state legislature is planning.
(For the grammar/writer purists: please take pity on me. I just need to get this off my chest. I was trained to be a nurse, not a writer. Thanks!!)
Back in 2008, the South Carolina Illegal Immigration Reform Act was passed.
Effective July 1, 2009, South Carolina businesses that employ 100 or more workers must verify the legal status of new employees and remove from their payrolls any worker who is not legally in the United States and authorized to work.
check out the penalties -
The South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation must: (1) notify the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement of suspected unauthorized aliens employed by a private employer; (2) notify state and local law enforcement agencies responsible for enforcing state immigration laws, and; (3) assess penalties for violations of the Act. For violations of the procedures for verifying worker eligibility, a private employer can be assessed a civil penalty of not less than $100 and not more than $1,000 for each violation. Upon the first violation, the employer can avoid assessment of a penalty if within 72 hours of notification of a violation the employer complies with the verification provisions. An employer who knowingly or intentionally hires an unauthorized alien faces suspension or revocation of the employer’s imputed license. During the time that the license is suspended or revoked, the employer cannot employ any employees.
100 or more workers? I guess that covers the wealthy who hire a few to do yardwork or look after their kids, no?
Well, looky here:
According to Jim Knight with the State Labor, Licensing and Regulation Department, small businesses in South Carolina are more likely to use labor from illegal immigrants than larger companies.
Fast forward to present day South Carolina --
After passing one of the toughest immigration reform laws in the nation, the issue is on the table again in South Carolina. A senate subcommittee heard a proposal that would allow cops to target people they suspect are illegal immigrants
SNIP
People like Mexican-born Arturo Fabila feel stuck in the middle.
"This is gonna get bad," said Fabila.
The businessman says he came to states 15 years ago in search of the American dream. However, he feels a new bill introduced by Charleston County Senator, Larry Grooms [R], could become a nightmare for him and those who look like him.
SNIP
The legislation would direct law enforcement to question people's legal status, and possibly detain them, if cops have reason to believe they are in the country illegally. Many feel such a law would ignite a firestorm of fury in the Palmetto State, similar to what is occurring in Arizona, and other parts of the county.
The lieutenant governor [who is Andre Bauer -- running for SC Governor, of the poor are like stray animals cr@pola] applauds Arizona for tackling the issue. He thinks South Carolina should follow suit.
Republicans grilled Reggie Lloyd, director of SLED, S.C. Law Enforcement Division, who told the repubs, they'd have to find the money to fund that 2008 law. (Since unemployment is high in South Carolina and the tax laws favor the rich, there is very little revenue.)
S.C. Law Enforcement Division director Reggie Lloyd said his agency has not signed an agreement with the federal government to enforce immigration laws in the Palmetto State because the General Assembly has not set aside money for the program.
Even if the General Assembly found money to boost his agency’s funding to pre-recession levels, Lloyd said he still would not have the manpower to enforce immigration laws. The choice would come down to investigating murders and drug trafficking, or tracking down illegal immigrants.
SNIP
But state senators said they thought the 2008 S.C. Immigration Reform Act already had addressed that issue.
SNIP
However, Lloyd said the 2008 law said he should sign the agreement once the program had been paid for. Instead of receiving additional money, Lloyd said the amount his agency receives from the state has been cut 30 percent in the past two years.
SNIP
Lloyd said the state would have to spend millions to build federally certified detention centers to hold anyone arrested.
SNIP
After the meeting, two Hispanic women challenged state Sen. Larry Grooms, R-Berkeley, one of 19 senators who are sponsoring the immigration proposal. The women said the bill will encourage racial profiling.
Here's an AP article from the Canadian press:
The debate got more heated after Roan Garcia-Quintana, a Cuban American who advocates anti-illegal immigration bills, said the women should go back where they came from if they don't like it here.
Neither of the women is an illegal immigrant. One of the protesters, Ilia Rivera, of Greenville, shouted she's Puerto Rican and an Army veteran. Then she stalked off.
"Someone will stop me. I'm very sure they're going to," Rivera said about the bill. "I'm Puerto Rican and look like I'm Latino."
Here is the exchange of the 2 women challenging Grooms:
If you got this far reading my diary, thank you. I hope you read a few more paragraphs --
I was never political UNTIL I moved to South Carolina. The repubs have sucked up to right wing ideology -- Howard Rich has influenced our politicians and public schools. THEN I just recently found out Rich is on the board of Club for Growth which Jim DeMint received a PERFECT, ONE HUNDRED PER CENT rating. The repubs believe in the rightwing libertarianism of Rand Paul (I mean, Jim DeMint endorsed him for FSM's sake! Look at DeMint's views from 2004 - he apologized for, but -- really -- I don't believe it, especially when he endorsed Paul).
I hope all those who are in safe districts/states AND have some extra money (yeah, I know, a LOT of us are having financial trouble) help our state because the Dem voters are not able to give as much as they'd like!
We really do have wonderful Democratic candidates running statewide (especially Frank Holleman for state school superintendent - no creationism in his agenda!)
-- but I'd like to concentrate on Vic Rawl for now. He's running to unseat DeMint. Please check out his website. Visit his ActBlue page. This guy is experienced in all 3 branches of SC government -- and is the best person who represents my values as a "DFH, commie liberal," as my rightwing brother calls me.