Politics & Government
Sen. Ross Introduces Legislation to Put the Breaks on Illegal Immigration
Sen. Ross seeks to put the breaks on illegal immigration.
Senator Richard Ross (R-Wrentham) today unveiled bipartisan legislation that addressed the strains placed on personal, municipal and statewide finances as a result of illegal immigration. Ross is a co-sponsor of the bill and is a strong backer for its passage.
The legislation, titled An Act to Enhance Community Safety, aims to protect Massachusetts taxpayers by targeting the negative impacts illegal immigration has on the Commonwealth in the areas of public safety, taxpayer integrity, motor vehicles and employment, according to press release about the legislation.
Recent deaths of several Massachusetts residents, allegedly at the hands of illegal immigrants, have sparked interest in implementing the Secure Communities Program in the state. Under this federal program, the FBI shares its fingerprint files with U.S. immigration authorities in an effort to identify arrestees in the country illegally.
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In addition, the legislation has many other valuable provisions including a requirement that those individuals brought before the courts have their status verified and confirmed. The bill also increases penalties for false identification materials and seeks to ensure that state resources and benefits are preserved for those legally entitled to them. It also puts forth an effort to provide state subsidized housing to Massachusetts residents who reside in the state legally.
The legislation, if passed, will also tighten the requirements necessary for registering a motor vehicle in the Commonwealth and stiffens penalties for operating a motor vehicle without a license. Additionally, this legislation develops a system for identifying those employers who knowingly or intentionally hire and employ unauthorized workers, and requires action to be taken against those employees and employers.
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“Recently, we have been reminded of the negative effects that illegal immigration has on the Commonwealth – from housing to employment to public safety,” Ross said. “Although this issue has been highly politicized, at its core it is simply an enormous, multifaceted drain on our economy. I believe it is time that we enact this common sense legislation to ensure that we have the proper safeguards in place to protect the taxpayers and to preserve the integrity of the Commonwealth.”
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