Yet another state cracking down on illegal aliens...wonder why?
What happened? The illegals are leaving for states that are more lenient.
Now, South Carolina is following suit:
Senate initially OKs immigration bill that would fine employers who hire illegals
COLUMBIA -- The state Senate gave preliminary approval Wednesday night to a new immigration reform plan that provides for civil fines of up to $10,000 for businesses that knowingly hire illegal workers.
"This is probably the toughest anti-illegal immigration bill in the country," President Pro Tempore Glenn McConnell said.
The voice-vote approval of the amendment came after hours of a Democrat-led fillibuster of the previous plan and complaints that it would hurt farmers and not solve the state’s illegal immigration problems.
Given the empirical evidence from Arizona and from Prince William County in Maryland, I'm not so sure I'd be so quick to use that last phrase. It does seem quite clear that when the law is passed and enforced, it DOES solve the illegal immigration problem.
And not a red cent has to be spent on deportation - they self-deport (or at least, self-move).
The new proposal would require that private employers verify each workers’ legal status using either a South Carolina driver’s license, a federal electronic verification system or a new state form similar to the federal I-9 form that would be monitored by state regulators.
[snip] "We’ve had meetings, numerous phone calls and letters back and forth with Senate Republicans over the past couple of days about the need for a strong electronic verification system," Sanford said in a statement after the vote.
[snip] "The message should go out loud and clear that South Carolina is not a haven for the employment of illegals," McConnell told senators.
[snip] McConnell said businesses that fail to keep the proper records could be fined between $100 and $1,000 per violation, while those that are found guilty of knowingly and intentionally hiring illegals could be fined a maximum of $2,000 per violation for first offense and up to $10,000 per violation on third and subsequent offenses.
So, why South Carolina? And right now? Probably this is why....
S.C. has fastest growing Hispanic population in the nation
Data released by the U.S. Census Bureau today revealed that South Carolina’s Hispanic population showed the biggest percentage increase in the nation. Hispanics now account for 15 percent of the total United States population and remain the largest minority group.
The Census showed that as of July 1, 2007, there were an estimated 45.5 million Hispanics in America — an increase of 1.4 million people since July 2006. The U.S. population totaled 301.6 million.
Numbers for South Carolina showed a population increase of about 77,600 people for a total of 4,407,709. The state’s Hispanic population increased by 8.37 percent in one year. It was the largest percentage increase in the United States, followed by Tennessee with an 8.10 percent increase and North Carolina, which showed an increase of 7.81 percent. Nationally, the Hispanic population grew by 3.3 percent.
With just shy of 169,000 Hispanics in the state, South Carolina came far behind larger states with Hispanic populations in the million, such as California (13.2 million), Texas (8.6 million) and Florida (3.8 million).
However, researchers at the University of South Carolina’s Consortium for Latino Immigration Studies estimate South Carolina’s total Hispanic population is actually closer to 500,000.
“Sometimes the Census is an under-count of the population, especially minorities,” said Director Myriam Torres. “It’s so difficult to know for sure how many people there are ... Minorities do not answer the census at the same rate as other populations. Also, some people may be undocumented so they don’t answer it.”
Cost of living
Consortium estimates are based on immigration rates, school enrollment data and birth rates. Torres said Latinos may be drawn to South Carolina because of the mild weather and the job market.
Arnulfo Garcia, a manager at Monterrey Mexican Restaurant on the Asheville Highway, suspects the increase may also be due to the lower cost of living in South Carolina, compared to larger states like California. Garcia, who has been working in local Monterrey restaurants for 15 years, said he has noticed an increase in the local Hispanic population, both inside and outside of the restaurant.
“When I go to the flea market there are more (Hispanic) people. The area I live I notice more (Hispanic) people living around me, and I just see some of them. I see more people moving in.”
Lt. Matt Hamby with the Greer Police Department said the department has become more reliant on Spanish interpreters. There are no hired interpreters, he said, but several officers are fluent in Spanish.
“I am seeing what I believe is a definite increase in the Hispanic population,” Hamby said. “We are always trying to find ways to attract people that are bilingual to become police officers here.”
Nationally, blacks followed Hispanics as the second largest minority group, with 40.7 million estimated in 2007. The Asian population ranked third with 15.2 million.
The Census showed that as of July 1, 2007, there were an estimated 45.5 million Hispanics in America — an increase of 1.4 million people since July 2006. The U.S. population totaled 301.6 million.
Numbers for South Carolina showed a population increase of about 77,600 people for a total of 4,407,709. The state’s Hispanic population increased by 8.37 percent in one year. It was the largest percentage increase in the United States, followed by Tennessee with an 8.10 percent increase and North Carolina, which showed an increase of 7.81 percent. Nationally, the Hispanic population grew by 3.3 percent.
With just shy of 169,000 Hispanics in the state, South Carolina came far behind larger states with Hispanic populations in the million, such as California (13.2 million), Texas (8.6 million) and Florida (3.8 million).
However, researchers at the University of South Carolina’s Consortium for Latino Immigration Studies estimate South Carolina’s total Hispanic population is actually closer to 500,000.
“Sometimes the Census is an under-count of the population, especially minorities,” said Director Myriam Torres. “It’s so difficult to know for sure how many people there are ... Minorities do not answer the census at the same rate as other populations. Also, some people may be undocumented so they don’t answer it.”
Cost of living
Consortium estimates are based on immigration rates, school enrollment data and birth rates. Torres said Latinos may be drawn to South Carolina because of the mild weather and the job market.
Arnulfo Garcia, a manager at Monterrey Mexican Restaurant on the Asheville Highway, suspects the increase may also be due to the lower cost of living in South Carolina, compared to larger states like California. Garcia, who has been working in local Monterrey restaurants for 15 years, said he has noticed an increase in the local Hispanic population, both inside and outside of the restaurant.
“When I go to the flea market there are more (Hispanic) people. The area I live I notice more (Hispanic) people living around me, and I just see some of them. I see more people moving in.”
Lt. Matt Hamby with the Greer Police Department said the department has become more reliant on Spanish interpreters. There are no hired interpreters, he said, but several officers are fluent in Spanish.
“I am seeing what I believe is a definite increase in the Hispanic population,” Hamby said. “We are always trying to find ways to attract people that are bilingual to become police officers here.”
Nationally, blacks followed Hispanics as the second largest minority group, with 40.7 million estimated in 2007. The Asian population ranked third with 15.2 million.
Comments
Posted by: Georgia Gaydos | June 5, 2008 10:43 AM
Posted by: Georgia Gaydos | June 5, 2008 10:43 AM