Hamilton Tees Off On New Immigration Law
State Rep. Rebecca Hamilton says today the state's new immigration law isn't sending Hispanics running for the border, but she still wants to enact a new law that would repeal parts of the present law and punish large corporations that exploit immigrant workers.
The Oklahoma City Democrat said, "There has been too much invective, blaming and name-calling where this issue is concerned. That kind of behavior damages our community and encourages legislators to vote for bad laws that don't help anyone. I hope that this bill will begin a conversation focused on finding positive solutions that build our state and that avoid abrogating the human rights of any of our residents.
"The influx of illegal immigrants into Oklahoma is a symptom of larger problems. If we don't address the causes of illegal immigration, we will never be able to deal effectively with it. Illegal immigration is in large part a direct result of the failure of United States corporations operating south of the border to be good corporate citizens in those countries. Legislation that tries only to punish people and pit one group of low-income workers against another doesn't help the problem. In fact, it makes it worse." said Hamilton.
House Bill 3067, by Hamilton, would repeal portions of the law approved last session to address illegal immigration problems (House Bill 1804) - a law many critics argue is anti-Hispanic. Hamilton said her bill would instead target the primary cause of illegal immigration, the exploitation of immigrant workers by large corporations, instead of targeting poor people whose lives are already a financial struggle.
"Every country has the right to defend its own borders, but Oklahoma's current immigration law doesn't do that," Hamilton said. "We need to go after those who profit off illegal immigration both here and in other countries."
Hamilton said her House Bill 3067 would make it illegal for the state of Oklahoma to contract with any company that has closed American facilities and opened new factories outside the country unless they operate those factories in compliance with United States wage, safety and human rights guarantees. Companies that operate in other countries and do not maintain workplace, labor and minimum-wage standards comparable to U.S. law would also be barred from receiving state contracts under the legislation.
Hamilton, who was one of only nine lawmakers to consistently oppose House Bill 1804 in the Legislature, noted those who claim House Bill 1804 is forcing illegal immigrants to leave Oklahoma cannot base those arguments on hard data. And anecdotal evidence clearly contradicts those claims, she said. For example, although Census Bureau figures indicate more illegal immigrants live in Hamilton's south Oklahoma City district than any other district in Oklahoma, there has been no noticeable population shift since House Bill 1804 took effect. "I can say without equivocation that the people in my district are still here," Hamilton said. "If large numbers of people living illegally in Oklahoma are leaving the state, I would have noticed it."
The Oklahoma City Democrat said, "There has been too much invective, blaming and name-calling where this issue is concerned. That kind of behavior damages our community and encourages legislators to vote for bad laws that don't help anyone. I hope that this bill will begin a conversation focused on finding positive solutions that build our state and that avoid abrogating the human rights of any of our residents.
"The influx of illegal immigrants into Oklahoma is a symptom of larger problems. If we don't address the causes of illegal immigration, we will never be able to deal effectively with it. Illegal immigration is in large part a direct result of the failure of United States corporations operating south of the border to be good corporate citizens in those countries. Legislation that tries only to punish people and pit one group of low-income workers against another doesn't help the problem. In fact, it makes it worse." said Hamilton.
House Bill 3067, by Hamilton, would repeal portions of the law approved last session to address illegal immigration problems (House Bill 1804) - a law many critics argue is anti-Hispanic. Hamilton said her bill would instead target the primary cause of illegal immigration, the exploitation of immigrant workers by large corporations, instead of targeting poor people whose lives are already a financial struggle.
"Every country has the right to defend its own borders, but Oklahoma's current immigration law doesn't do that," Hamilton said. "We need to go after those who profit off illegal immigration both here and in other countries."
Hamilton said her House Bill 3067 would make it illegal for the state of Oklahoma to contract with any company that has closed American facilities and opened new factories outside the country unless they operate those factories in compliance with United States wage, safety and human rights guarantees. Companies that operate in other countries and do not maintain workplace, labor and minimum-wage standards comparable to U.S. law would also be barred from receiving state contracts under the legislation.
Hamilton, who was one of only nine lawmakers to consistently oppose House Bill 1804 in the Legislature, noted those who claim House Bill 1804 is forcing illegal immigrants to leave Oklahoma cannot base those arguments on hard data. And anecdotal evidence clearly contradicts those claims, she said. For example, although Census Bureau figures indicate more illegal immigrants live in Hamilton's south Oklahoma City district than any other district in Oklahoma, there has been no noticeable population shift since House Bill 1804 took effect. "I can say without equivocation that the people in my district are still here," Hamilton said. "If large numbers of people living illegally in Oklahoma are leaving the state, I would have noticed it."
Labels: Illegal Immigration, Rebecca Hamilton
posted by Mike McCarville @ 9:08 AM
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