Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Friday, April 15, 2011
(STATEHOUSE) - A proposed crackdown on illegal immigrants in Indiana has been sharply scaled back, with a House Committee vote planned Friday.
The house has dropped an Arizona-style requirement that police check the immigration status of people they stop if they have "reasonable suspicion."
The Indiana Farm Bureau's Bob Kraft says remaining provisions holding employers responsible for hiring illegals are still too burdensome.
He says farms who hire migrant workers can't afford to wait on bureaucrats to confirm someone's citizenship when crops are ready to be harvested.
The General Manager of Indy's new JW Marriott Hotel says two groups planning major conventions in Indianapolis have threatened to cancel if the bill passes.
It's not clear whether the amendment is enough to satisfy their concerns.
The bill calls for employers who knowingly hire illegals to lose state employment tax credits.
House Public Policy Chairman Bill Davis has added a provision requiring someone who's arrested and turns out to be here illegally to post the full amount of bail money, instead of the customary 10%t bond.
Senator Mike Delph, the bill's author, says he'll reserve judgment on whether to accept the house's changes until the bill has gone through the amendment process in the full chamber.
That's likely to happen next week.
1340 AM WBIW welcomes comments and suggestions by calling 812.277.1340 during normal business hours or by email at comments@wbiw.com
© Ad-Venture Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.