Illegal immigration bill up for discussion in Senate Judiciary

Air Date:02/15/2011

By Jackelyn Severin

The Senate Judiciary committee is discussing a bill on illegal immigration. Senate Bill 156 makes it a crime to knowingly employ illegal immigrants in the state. Senator Craig Tieszan of Rapid City is the main sponsor of the bill. He says federal law already makes hiring unauthorized aliens a crime but federal agencies are not enforcing immigration laws in South Dakota. Teiszan says local officers do a good job of identifying and apprehending illegal immigrants but need the authority to detain them.

Teiszan says, "If they do identify and apprehend ICE by their policy, the federal authorities by their policy, will release those people unless they’re identified as a violent felon or somebody that’s been previously deported. And so what good does it do for local and state law enforcement officials to put illegal immigrants in jail and have federal authorities come and release them."

Opponents of the measure say immigration issues should be addressed at the federal level. They say Senate Bill 156 is costly to enforce and does nothing to solve the greater problem of immigration reform.

The committee will vote on the bill Thursday morning.

Right click to download audio.

Get the Flash Player to see this video.