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State lawmakers propose legislation on immigration
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Don Gustavson
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Pat Hickey
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
At least two Nevada legislators are pursuing bills in 2011 that target illegal immigrants, though similar bills historically haven't gotten far.
Assemblyman Don Gustavson, R-Sparks, has asked the Legislative Counsel Bureau to draft a bill for the coming legislative session based on a controversial Arizona immigration law that is being challenged in federal court.
Assemblyman Pat Hickey, R-Reno, meanwhile, has requested a bill that would require employers to use the federal E-Verify program to determine whether employees are authorized to work in the United States. The program is voluntary for most employers.
Hickey also has requested a bill that would impose a fee on money wire transfers outside the country, which he says would give undocumented workers who send money home each month better opportunity to "pay their fair share."
The proposed legislation faces an uphill battle, the assemblymen concede, but they hope to spur a debate on the issue.
Gustavson said the goal of his bill is to "get citizens in Nevada back to work."
"We have a lot of people in the country illegally and working here," he said. Targeting undocumented workers could open up jobs for those who are legally authorized to work, he said.
But Hickey said Gustavson's Arizona-style bill doesn't have "a snowball's chance in hell of passing in Nevada."
"We're not a border state with the same safety and legal concerns that Arizona has," he said. "I'm trying to propose a couple pieces of legislation a little more targeted to challenges" in Nevada.
A judge earlier this year blocked portions of the Arizona law that would have allowed police officers to question a person's legal status while enforcing other laws. It also would have made it a state crime to be caught without papers in Arizona.
Sections that were not blocked include one that allows the impounding of vehicles that are used to transport undocumented persons. Another, targeting those who hire day laborers, bans hiring someone whose entering a car would obstruct the flow of traffic.
Proponents of the Arizona law say it is a common-sense measure to make up for the federal government's inconsistent approach to immigration policy. Opponents say it sets the stage for racially motivated harassment by police of Hispanic residents and visitors.
Influential Silver State Republicans said there is little to no benefit in debating whether Nevada should re-create Arizona's law.
"Anything that divides people, sets them apart, is probably not a good thing," incoming Senate Minority Leader Mike McGinness, R-Fallon, said.
McGinness, who takes over the leadership spot from Sen. Bill Raggio, R-Reno, did not sound eager for the Legislature, which has 120 days starting Feb. 7 to balance the budget and tackle statewide redistricting, to add more controversy to the agenda.
Sig Rogich, a prominent Nevada political consultant, said a hard-line stance on immigration could play well with a portion of the Republican base but would drive away potential centrists and Hispanic voters.
"They should avoid the short-term temptation of playing to people's anxieties and fears and look to the long-term solutions," he said.
Gustavson also is pursuing a bill that would require driver's license exams to be administered in English. Currently in Nevada, exams are given in either English or Spanish.
Hickey wants to make E-Verify mandatory in part because he thinks certain industries in the state -- gaming, hospitality and construction -- "have benefited from the illegal labor force," he said. Such legislation will be difficult to pass because of the power of those industries in Nevada, he said.
He thinks a bill that would impose a fee on money wire transfers to locations outside the United States has a better chance at succeeding, in part because it would generate revenue for the cash-strapped state.
The money sent home by Mexican migrants represents Mexico's second-largest source of foreign income after oil.
Hickey said the fee on such remittances would be dedicated to help pay for education in Nevada.
Oklahoma last year adopted a law that imposed new fees on money wire transfers at business such as Western Union. Wire transfers at banks are not subject to the fees. A provision was added to that bill that allows Oklahoma residents to deduct the fee from their state income taxes.
Mexico's House of Representatives passed a resolution urging government agencies to stop buying products from Oklahoma in response to the fees. Western Union also opposed the fees, calling them regressive and anti-consumer.
Reveriano Orozco , who recently sold his local chain of money-tranfer businesses that catered to Hispanics, called such fees unconstitutional.
It's not fair, he said, to selectively target certain businesses that offer a service and not others. Such a law also would be designed to target Mexicans, which is discriminatory, he said.
"I'm not worried. I don't think this kind of law would fly in Nevada," he said.
Fernando Romero, president of Hispanics in Politics, said Nevada bills targeting illegal immigrants have failed in the past because they would have infringed on individual rights, not just on illegal immigrants.
E-Verify, for example, has had accuracy problems and could lead to citizens and legal residents being wrongly denied jobs, he said.
The much-debated Arizona law, meanwhile, would punish anyone, including citizens and legal residents, caught giving an undocumented immigrant a ride.
"You no longer have the right to transport 'Pepito' from Point A to Point B without having your vehicle impounded," Romero said.
Disallowing the printing of driver's license exams in Spanish also would harm citizens and legal residents who have trouble with English, he said.
"For many people, English is a difficult language. That doesn't mean they are here illegally," he said.
Nevada does not offer driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.
Review-Journal writer Benjamin Spillman contributed to this report. Contact reporter Lynnette Curtis at lcurtis@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0285.
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It is good to see and hear that more and more states are following Arizona's lead.
We need to get our 22 million plus unemployed back to work before even considering what to do with the 20 million plus ILLEGAL ALIENS.
NO AMNESTY, PERIOD
"this is a total waste of time . it will never pass through the democratically controlled legislature . get to work on something that has a chance to actually pass ..."
Good point. I suggest that what you work on is to get the idiots out of office in 2012.
That IS something that "has a chance to actually pass"
"Anything that divides people, sets them apart, is probably not a good thing," incoming Senate Minority Leader Mike McGinness, R-Fallon, said.
Wow, you guys in Nevada have one phenomenal moron for a Senate Minority Leader!
Go Sen. Gustavson! It's about time somebody had the nerve to address this issue in Nevada. Most opening level jobs in the Reno area are held by Latinos-many of whom are illegal. Good luck to an American student trying to find a summer or part-time job--the good ol' boy network is now Hispanic and English only speakers need not apply. By the way, Sen. McGinness is off to a bad start as the new leader with those syrupy diversity comments.
I want to commend Don Gustavson and Pat Hickey for trying to do something to stand up for the LEGAL IMMIGRANTS and the rest of the Citizens of this state. . We MUST start protecting the people who don't break the law, instead of getting it backwards and giving rights to lawbreakers to the detriment of our society.
I work with several Legal Immigrants and they are very angry that they followed all the rules and the illegals are getting benefits from their tax money and getting jobs that should belong to legal citizens of this country, They don't think Hispanics in Politics pays any attention to them.
A caucasian girl that I work with (very part time)has also managed to get a job for the holidays in a big warehouse here in Reno and she is having a very hard time because almost everything is done in spanish, The workforce is over 80 percent hispanic in that facility.There is something very wrong with that picture. There seems to be a concerted effort being made in this country to diversify our language to the point that it is impossible for this country to be the great melting pot that it was and instead it is pitting nationality against nationality. Obama and company are the worst racists that I have ever witnessed in my 71 years of life.
In this medium,sarcasm doesn't translate too well sometimes. But no worries. A spirited disussion is always a good thing. I do see that we agree. My disappointment too is directed at illegals and their supporters. Please note, my moniker says Vol. FF. To pay the bills and keep mama happy, I work for the NDOC.
@ N. NV. Vol. FF -- You were clear my sarcasm was not toward you but toward the illegal aliens and their supporters also at the biggest group that break our laws. – Somehow they decided they were special or use omitted history and other bogus accusation to continue their harm to innocent citizens here. – You expected illegals and their supporters to be sensible but that’s an impossibility, they are special, at least since they have been getting away with criminal actions for so long. -- Now they believe they are right or entitled. – You’re cool sorry if you thought I was sarcastic toward you, I wasn’t. – My anger frustration is directed at the criminals and their supporters.
Maybe I wasn't clear enough in my comment. I am all FOR a law putting fees on money going out of the country. What is really grieving me is that fact that basically the only ones coming out and complaining are the Hispanics saying we're being racist, and the liberals trying to bend over and coddle the whining and sniveling illegals and their "legal" relatives! I agree that immigration could be considered one of the most important issues to confront us right now. Right up there with the economy and jobs. It could all be considered intertwined.
@N. NV. Vol. FF --- Well of course those that represent the biggest group that are illegally here and breaking numerous other laws would consider any attempt by this country to recoup some of the costs using added fee’s for money transfers, as unfair. – Yet the criminals have no problem burdening our schools, courts, hospitals and illegally receiving State/Federal benefits. – This special group of people actually feel they should be treated, well special, as they displace citizens from jobs willingly working for less, with the help of greedy criminal business, thus the CREATION of jobs we don’t want. – This special group calls all others haters as they trample our civil rights, burden taxpayers and break our laws. – Really you expect the likes of Reveriano Orozco to understand their selfish agendas are hateful. – Illegal immigration is the greatest and most massive organized crime perpetrated in history, helped by governments, business leaders and even scandalized religious groups. – This power makes them BELIEVE they are right, despite the damage they cause honest citizens.
Ever watch "Border Wars" or "Cops and Coyotes"? Ever see them find the illegals WITH the dope? Nope, they're either finding "poor Mexicans that want a better life" or the bundles of dope WITHOUT the mules. They also NEVER find the coyotes that smuggle them across. The agents carry weapons, but are not allowed to fire them. So what's the point? It would make more sense, and put some fear in these invaders, if the border patrol would cut loose with a few rounds in the air. That's one way to protect our border. As it is, we're just the laughing stock for the illegals. It's also hilarious that Mexico and illegal lovers in this country protest our rights to ship the illegals back to their home country. I, for one, object to my tax dollars being used to educate their illegal children and anchor kids and provide them with welfare and free health care, while our own citizens can't afford to see a doctor. Someone please list the email addresses for our Nevada government leaders and I will pepper them with daily messages to stop this insanity and give us our state back. @Anya...we're not the "silent" majority. We speak loud and clear. We just have to make sure that our Nevada government can hear us screaming for changing this insane situation.
P.S. I got quite a chuckle out of Obama getting a busted lip from one of his dear hispanic caucus members. Poetic justice for our illegal loving president. Maybe Harry will be next with a sore mouth.