State lawmakers advance bill to increase penalties for hiring illegal immigrants

by Sarah Rice (srice@wsbt.com)

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Officials arrested 36 suspected undocumented workers at Janco Composites in Mishawaka in March 2007

Officials arrested 36 suspected undocumented workers at Janco Composites in Mishawaka in March 2007. (WSBT file photo)

By Beth Boehne

Story Created: Feb 18, 2008 at 6:21 PM EST

Story Updated: Feb 18, 2008 at 6:22 PM EST

MISHAWAKA — Some lives could change forever if a new bill targeting illegal immigrants makes it through the Indiana Statehouse.

Lawmakers advanced a bill Monday that would crack down on companies hiring illegal immigrants.

A House committee added state money to help enforce the law.

Federal agents took dozens of illegal immigrants into custody from a company in Mishawaka last year. Officials arrested 36 suspected undocumented workers at Janco Composites in March 2007.

But Indiana lawmakers say it's not enough, so they've proposed their own bill. It would increase penalties for businesses that knowingly hire illegals — including taking away their license.

That’s not sitting well with one local religious leader.

St. Adalbert's is a church founded by immigrants almost a century ago.

"We serve people in this parish who speak English, Polish and Spanish,” said Father Christopher Cox.

Fr. Cox told lawmakers he's concerned a crackdown on illegal immigrants will affect the local economy.

"Those families that are paying income taxes if they are on any kind of a payroll, which almost everybody would conclude that they are, those would be economic inputs directly into our tax base that will be taken out,” he said.

But supporters of the crackdown view the economic impact differently.

“If you're going to talk about the economic impact of illegal workers, you do have to talk about the impact of taxpayers now who are paying more in education costs and health costs,” said Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-Lakeville).

She says placing education and health costs for illegal immigrants on other taxpayers isn't fair. Eight other states have similar legislation because lawmakers are frustrated.

"This is what's happening and this is the control the states are taking because the federal government is completely derelict in their duties,” Walorski said.

But opponents like Fr. Cox say that doesn't necessarily make it right for the state to get involved.

"The Constitution says that immigration is the domain of the federal government, and just because the federal government hasn't done its act there doesn't mean it's in our interest or wise for us to take up,” Fr. Cox said.

The bill now heads to the House Ways and Means committee.

Walorski doesn't agree with all the amendments passed Monday. She's concerned with how the bill will be enforced. Instead of requiring the state police to enter into an agreement with the federal government, it just says they can if they want to. Walorski is going to try and change the amendment.

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