State Lawmakers Hope To Pass Immigration Reform

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State Lawmakers Hope To Pass Immigration Reform
Republicans Not United On What Measures To Pass And How
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- State lawmakers concerned with illegal immigration are introducing everything from an Arizona-style enforcement bill to requirements that driver's license exams be in English.
Similar measures in the past have mostly been killed in the House. This year, with Republican majorities in both the House and Senate, those measures have their best chance yet of becoming law. But Republicans are less than united on what measures to pass and how.
Speaking at a forum sponsored by The Associated Press and the Tennessee Press Association on Thursday, Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey expressed qualified support for requiring employers to use the federal E-Verify program to make sure their employees are authorized to work in the U.S.
"My No. 1 goal is to make Tennessee the best place in the nation to own and operate a business," he said. "I want to make sure we're addressing those illegal immigration problems, but not putting undue burdens and undue paperwork on small businesses." Ramsey said he didn't want immigration to dominate the session, and he and Gov. Bill Haslam, also speaking at the event, both expressed support for a single comprehensive immigration bill, rather than the dozen or so that have been filed or announced so far.
But Rep. Joe Carr, chairman of the House's task force on illegal immigration reform, said that is not likely. No one has spoken with him or House leadership about a single, comprehensive bill, he said, and he is moving forward with plans to introduce three bills this week.One would mandate the use of E-Verify. Another would require agencies to verify that applicants for benefits such as food stamps and in-state tuition are legally in the country. A third would empower local law enforcement officers, in the course of a stop, to question suspects on whether they are legally in the country. Carr said that last bill will be different from one approved in Arizona last year that has been the subject of a U.S. Justice Department lawsuit, but he will not release any details until it is filed.
Carr said he would consider introducing a single bill if he were assured the support of Haslam and Ramsey, "but if this is just a mechanism for watering down the legislation it is not something we are going to be seriously able to entertain."
Senate Minority Leader Jim Kyle, D-Memphis, said in an interview that the disagreements reflect differing priorities among Republicans. "The tremendous conflict within the Republican caucus is those who are up here for social reasons and those who are up here for jobs," Kyle said.
Although Carr and some other Republicans argue the immigration bills will save the state money by driving out illegal immigrants, whom they consider a drain on the economy, many of the state's influential business leaders disagree.
Debby Dale Mason, with the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, said her group is concerned about any law that makes it more difficult for international companies to do business in Tennessee or makes the state appear unwelcoming of foreigners.
In 2007, a new Tennessee law aimed at keeping illegal immigrants from getting driver's licenses unintentionally left many legal immigrants suddenly unable to drive, including some highly skilled workers from large international companies.
Other immigration-related bills filed so far include ones that: make harboring or transporting illegal immigrants a felony; require parents to show certain identifying documents before their children can be issued birth certificates; require that all driver's license exams be given in English; require proof of citizenship to register to vote and require photo identification to vote.
http://www.wsmv.com/news/26851201/detail.html