May 25, 2006
State Legislators Support Senate Immigration Bill
S. 2611 gives states appropriate funding and flexibility
WASHINGTON, D.C. - State legislators on Thursday endorsed the Senate's latest draft of immigration legislation, which they believe strikes an appropriate balance among the needs to provide national security, foster economic strength and honor our history as a nation of immigrants.
State legislators see the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006, S.2611, as a true collaboration between federal and state governments for several reasons. It does not preempt state law. It includes funding to help states offer services to newcomers. It enhances border security and addresses the inequities in the current immigration system.
"We recognize that immigration is a difficult issue for our nation, and applaud the Senate’s diligent work on advancing legislation that addresses all components of this public policy challenge," states a letter to senators signed today by Georgia Senator Don Balfour, North Carolina Representative Joe Hackney and Delaware Representative Joe Miro.
Senator Balfour is chair of NCSL's Standing Committees. Representative Hackney and Representative Miro are co-chairs of NCSL's Executive Committee Task Force on Immigration and the States. These legislators and their counterparts across America laud this legislation's inclusion of the State Impact Assistant Grant Program, proposed by Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas). Under this program, guest workers would pay an application fee of $750 plus $100 for each of their dependents into an account from which states could cover the costs of providing health care and education services to immigrants.
S. 2611 also clarifies states' role in enforcement of immigration laws, and it requires the Department of Homeland Security to reimburse states for related training costs.
NCSL's Executive Committee, led by its Task Force on Immigration and the States, recently approved a policy to guide the organization's lobbying on immigration reform. The policy calls on Congress and the administration to pursue comprehensive immigration reform that enhances our border security and takes into consideration the states' responsibilities in providing services to immigrants.
NCSL is the bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the states, commonwealths and territories. It provides research, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas on the most pressing state issues and is an effective and respected advocate for the interests of the states in the American federal system.
### |
