SC Lawmakers Not Deterred By AZ Judge’s Ruling

July 30, 2010 by senatormcconnell

Senators Vow To Push Similar Bill On Illegal Immigration

PICKENS COUNTY, S.C. –

Sen. Larry Martin, a Republican who represents Pickens County in the state Senate, is home in Pickens after the 2009-10 legislative session ended in June. But Martin is already thinking about next session.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do. We’ve got a big job ahead of us,” said Martin.

Some of that work is aimed at what Martin called a “top priority” early in the next session when it comes to South Carolina’s crack down on illegal immigration.

“I believe that we do have the ability to make it a state law violation,” said Martin.

Right now, cracking down on illegal immigrants is in the hands of the federal government, something Martin said is a big problem for local and state law enforcement officers.

“They know when they make that call to the immigration folks, they’re not coming,” said Martin. “What we’re trying to do is set up a policy that discourages illegal or undocumented folks from coming to South Carolina.”

A bill that Martin said would have allowed local and state law enforcement to arrest a person in the state illegally died last session because lawmakers ran out of time.
Martin said he and other lawmakers are paying attention to what’s going on in Arizona, regarding that state’s controversial immigration law.

A federal judge put most of the law on hold this week, including sections that require immigrants to carry their papers and law officers to check on a person’s immigration status while enforcing other laws.

Martin said a similar bill will be reintroduced when lawmakers go back to Columbia in January. He said it will send a strong message to illegal immigrants.

In 2008, a law forcing businesses to verify all workers are documented passed in South Carolina.
Martin said that was the beginning of the crackdown on illegal immigration.

- Mandy Gaither, WYFF News 4 Reporter

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