Delph Immigration Bill Passes Senate Committee

By a vote of 10-1, SB 335 which is State Senator Mike Delph’s (R-Carmel) immigration bill, passed through committee after some changes were made. First, an amendment to push back the effective date, from July of 2009 to October 2009, was added. Also, exemptions from prosecution were made for “churches, healthcare workers, attorneys and spouses, parents and children of suspected illegal immigrants” according to the Indianapolis Star.

The lone dissenter was Greg ‘The Flogger’ Walker. He said that he “believes Indiana is entering dangerous waters by passing an unconstitutional law.” He came to this decision after reading the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution “about 12 times”.

Senator Delph’s legislation, had it passed in it’s original form, would have been the stiffest immigration law, penalizing businesses, in the nation. The changes passed today put it on par with Arizona’s and Oklahoma’s laws which are currently being challenged.

I liked the original bill, but these changes make sense. And after reading the 14th Amendment myself, I think I can see where Senator Walker is coming from. But the simple fact is, this legislation does not target the law abiding and the legalized. It targets those who break the law. It used to be in this country people got punished for breaking the law. But I have to agree with Senator Jim Arnold (D-LaPorte) when he said that this bill is not intended to be racist or to drive people out of our country. It’s not! It’s intended to attract the law abiding.

(Read more of my take after the leap)

Immigration has been a sensitive issue in our country for more than twenty years (more than that if you go back to the immigration discussions at the turn of the 20th century). I’ve heard the arguments that this is a Federal responsibility. Again, I agree, but our Federally elected officials have continually dropped the ball in favor of legislation that amounts to amnesty rather than securing our borders.

I’m not one of those “round ‘em all up and ship ‘em all out!” kind of people, if only because that’s not practical or even probable. But one way to curb illegal immigration is to go after those who willingly hire them undocumented workers. Go after a source (not the source) of the problem. Citizens in Indiana are concerned. That’s why the vote tally was so high. Legislators actually listened (shocking I know) to their constituents when it came to this particular piece of legislation.

If this passes, many will claim that this will turn away potential business from our state. I disagree. Having 25% of freshmen fail to graduate high school is more likely to turn away business than having penalties for law breakers. But just because this made it out of committee doesn’t mean it’s assured of passing. It’s not even assured of making it out of the Senate or the House or even making it out in it’s currently amended state. But this legislation bears watching.