Delph Advocates for Rule of Law

While the federal government has done a good job of bungling immigration reform, they are not the only governmental body to feel the pressure created by our illegal alien woes. Local governments and state governments across the country have had to live with the consequences of our federal government’s ineptitude and inaction on this issue.

If State Senator Mike Delph(R) has his way, however, before this session is over Indiana will have some tougher laws for dealing with illegal immigrants. Sen. Delph, like many people supportive of immigration reform, is not against immigration. Instead, Sen. Delph and the senators who have joined him by co-sponsoring SB 335are interested in seeing the rule of law restored. They want to make sure that Hoosiers are not required to pay for the care of those who are here illegally or face a criminal threat from an individual who has broken the law in entering our country.

The fundamental principle of our government is that we are a nation of laws and that no individual or entity is above the law and no individual or entity is below the law. The selective enforcement of the law must stop and if the federal government is unable to act then Indiana should do everything within its power to prevent its citizens from having to bear the financial, economic, and security burden imposed by the presence of illegal aliens.

On January 16th the Senate Pension and Labor Committee, chaired by Sen. Dennis Kruse (R) one of the bill’s co-sponsors, held a hearing on the immigration reform bill. To read the legislative summary of the bill go here.

Briefly, the bill empowers properly trained members of the state police to enforce federal customs and immigration law, provides for the prosecution and penalization of employers who knowingly hire illegal aliens, prevents any governing body within the state from refusing to cooperate with any other government entity that is seek to determine the status of a suspected illegal alien, provides for the cancellation of state contracts with employers who employ illegal aliens, and establishes penalties for hiding or transporting illegal aliens.

Senator Delph and the co-sponsors of SB 335 should be lauded for their efforts to restore the rule of law in Indiana with regard to immigration and employment.

To view a list of the bill’s supporters go here and to drop a line to your senator urging him or her to support SB 335 go here.