The illegal immigration debate flared at the Capitol on Monday (Jan. 7) with Gov. Tim Pawlenty signing executive orders dealing with immigration law enforcement and further presenting a handful of legislative initiatives aimed at curbing illegal immigration.

Sen. Patricia Torres Ray, DFL-Minneapolis, a Hispanic member of the Senate, styled the immigration proposals of Gov. Tim Pawlenty as designed to impact the upcoming elections rather than illegal immigration.

by T.W. Budig
ECM capitol reporter

The illegal immigration debate flared at the Capitol on Monday (Jan. 7) with Gov. Tim Pawlenty signing executive orders dealing with immigration law enforcement and further presenting a handful of legislative initiatives aimed at curbing illegal immigration.

Pawlenty, who proposed an illegal immigration package two years ago - in another election year, one critic pointed out - said legal immigration is an enormous benefit to the country.

"We want to make the sure, however, the system is legal, and reasonable, and orderly," said Pawlenty.

But Sen. Patricia Torres Ray, DFL-Minneapolis, a Hispanic member of the Senate, argued the governor's actions will have state and local taxpayer dollars paying for work rightfully that of the federal government.

The senator also viewed the governor's initiative as politically inspired.

Sen. Torres Ray is disappointed

"I am very disappointed the governor has chosen to use this issue as a political issue to advance a political agenda," said Torres Ray, speaking in the glare of the television cameras outside the Governor's Office.

She indicated the governor's initiative was an election year strategy.

Torres Ray expressed particular concerned over Pawlenty's legislative proposals.

Pawlenty - who styled them as "reasonable" and things people could agree on - wants to prohibit cities from enacting so-called "sanctuary" ordinances that limit city officials from inquiring about immigration status.

If lawmakers are unwilling to ban a sanctuary ordinance, Pawlenty threatened, he would cut back local government aid to cities with the ordinances in place by 10 percent a year.

"Our preference is to abolish existing sanctuary ordinances and prevent any future sanctuary ordinances from being enacted," the governor said.

Pawlenty wants to toughen penalties against employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants, while also increasing the penalties for identity theft and expand the definition of forgery.

Additionally, Pawlenty proposes to define human "sex trafficking" as a distinct crime and wants to further broaden its definition to include forced sexual performance or exhibition.

Signs executive order

Beyond the legislative proposals, Pawlenty signed an executive order directing the departments of Public Safety, Corrections and Commerce to team with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials on a variety of programs.

More than 50 state officials will team with federal authorities on combating smuggling, identifying criminal illegal immigrants in state and local prisons, fighting transnational street gangs and on other activities.

Pawlenty signed another executive order requiring state officials to use the federal E-Verify electronic employment verification system to ensure all newly hired state executive branch employees are legally eligible to work.

The executive order also directs state officials to put into place procedures to ensure that contractors with state contracts in excess of $50,000 are in compliance with federal employment verification law.

Pawlenty explained that the state cost of teaming with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement would be covered within existing state budgets.

The Governor's Office did not immediately provide a cost estimate for its proposed legislative agenda.

Sen. Foley has questions

Sen. Leo Foley, DFL-Coon Rapids, a member of the Senate Public Safety Budget Committee, questions whether the legislative initiatives will go anywhere.

"I don't see it progressing," said Foley. "I certainly don't support it myself," he said.

Foley, like Torres Ray, argued the state should not be shouldering the legitimate duties of the federal government.

"What it's going to do is bring down the Minnesota treasury," said Foley.

But Sen. Ray Vandeveer, R-Forest Lake, argued that it's wrong to assume all Democrats will reject Pawlenty's proposal. "I don't think it's a partisan issue per se," he said.

Vandeveer, speaking on Monday, said although he had not yet studied the immigration proposal in detail that in general it seemed reasonable.

It's a state issue, says Sen. Vandeveer

Certainly, the federal government has not been handling immigration well, he explained. Unfortunately, because of this, it is a state issue, Vandeveer argued.

"It's very, very expensive to have illegal immigrants," he said, explaining they use government services and cause delays for immigrants who want to enter the country to legally by soaking up attention.

Illegal immigration is a serious issue and needs to addressed seriously, said Torres Ray. "My hope is he (Pawlenty) would tell me first, not the media," she said about the governor's illegal immigration proposals.

"This is a serious issue," she said. And she doesn't know whether Pawlenty is actually serious, Torres Ray opined.

Pawlenty estimated the number of illegal immigrants in Minnesota somewhere between 50,000 to 150,000.

(Photo by T.W. Budig, ECM Capitol Reporter)