Texas okays hiring illegals as 'houseworkers'

[steff]

(CNN) -- Amid a number of bills filed in Texas that address the issue of illegal immigration, one, proposed by Republican state Rep. Debbie Riddle, stands out.

As proposed, House Bill 2012 would create tough state punishments for those who "intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly" hire an unauthorized immigrant. Violators could face up to two years in jail and a fine of up to $10,000.

But it is an exception included in the bill that is drawing attention. Those who hire unauthorized immigrants would be in violation of the law -- unless they are hiring a maid, a lawn caretaker or another houseworker.

With things as they are today, her bill will see a large segment of the Texas population in prison" if it passes without the exception, he said.

"When it comes to household employees or yard workers, it is extremely common for Texans to hire people who are likely undocumented workers," Pena said. "It is so common, it is overlooked."


www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/03/01/texas.immigration.bill/index.html?eref=rss_mostpopular

[workpublic]

don't worry. the federal govt tacitly oks illegals for everyone.

[ChiTownVenture]

This was interesting also;

A third bill would require police officers to ask every person they stop what their citizenship status is.

No discrimination, a requirement to ask every single person for citizenship status. It would be interesting to know if people will be required to provide proof of status, or what happens if they are not able to.

[Angel!]

Mar 2, 2011 1:57:07 GMT -5 @patstab said:

What a bunch of hypocrites, have to be the wealthier that do this. A poor person isn't hiring a maid and lawn service. And if they didn't do this they could hire Americans, many want even these jobs. I say NO!

This wouldn't affect the really, really poor (think poverty level), but plenty of lower & middle class people hire people for some of these things. I think the exception is probably due to the fact that it would be unreasonable to expect everyone to check the status of every person they might hire.

How do you want someone to check the status of the person they hired to spend 1 day repairing their fence, or the 2 people that spent 2 days painting the outside of their house, or the guy that came by & shoveled your walk when it snowed 22 inches. Even poor people sometimes pay for these services.

This isn't really a rich vs poor thing, but just the fact that it would be extremely difficult to expect everyone to follow this when you are looking at a lot of short term hires.

[BeenThere...DoneThat...]

...agreed, Angel... except for the poverty part... I know people who are in extreme poverty, and even they hire babysitters or cleaning ladies when they can...

[ugonow]

Leave my illegals alone,deport yours.

[deziloooooo]

There just was a representative from Texas on CNN talking about the proposed bill...seemed very uncomfortable with some of the questions asked him, what the one proposing it is really after..basically, doesn't want to have some one who hires a person who comes to the door to cut the grass for $10-/20 and doesn't know illegal and no way to check to go to jail..agree there..realities of Texas, border states, but I have a feeling the bill is going no where unless re written
The way it is now, a business hires workers to do gardening, a large business, or hires out maids and house cleaning, big businesses, hires workers to do laundry, big businesses, could possible be exempt from penalties under this bill, and they are knowingly hiring illegals.
If a area has a need for workers, then you need a guest worker program and that is a federal responsibility I believe ..unless the states could do so legally but then if you give them that you get into the problem of Az..what is states rights , what is the Federal if you make exceptions,.

[steff]

Pretty amusing to see how some folks are okay with certain types of illegals being here when it serves their needs. Guess it's all the "other" illegals yall want thrown out of the country....but oh please Mr Govn, let us keep our maids & gardeners.

[ed1066]

I'm glad my household staff are all American citizens...

[Deleted]

Some of you want to criminalize people who hire illegal aliens with jail time?

[fairlycrazy23]

First I don't think we need anymore unskilled workers so I really don't think we need to expand any guest worker programs (more h1b1 yes, but not unskilled).
Second they should be able to write the legislature in a way to punish companies but exempt or at least have far less punishments for individuals. It seems unreasonable to expect an individual to screen a potential lawn mower , but seems reasonable for businesses to be able to screen there potential employees or contractors.

[steff]

Some of you want to criminalize people who hire illegal aliens with jail time

*************************

Did you read the bill and how they want to make it crime for everyone BUT those that hire the maids & gardeners?

[reasonfreedom]

"unless they are hiring a maid, a lawn caretaker or another houseworker."

That is idiotic and hypocritical, I hope that rep. doesn't get re-elected.

"I think the exception is probably due to the fact that it would be unreasonable to expect everyone to check the status of every person they might hire."

I don't think it is unreasonable, there is a little something called responsibility. If somebody is paying cash to a baby sitter or somebody shoveling the drive it is illegal any way without taxation. I guess since it is illegal, you might as well go all the way right. Heck why not just ignore all laws and do what you want.

[ugonow]

I wonder why they cross the border? We must stop them whatever it is.

[workpublic]

apparently that representative's household is dependent on illegals.
his wife and kids ain't gonna clean up after themselves, you know.

[reasonfreedom]

Mar 2, 2011 13:33:37 GMT -5 steff said:

Pretty amusing to see how some folks are okay with certain types of illegals being here when it serves their needs. Guess it's all the "other" illegals yall want thrown out of the country....but oh please Mr Govn, let us keep our maids & gardeners.

Not, I. I say throw all the illegals out and punish all who hire them, rich or poor. Some people think they are above hurting the economy with unreported income, I think they are smoking some good stuff.

[Deleted]

Mar 2, 2011 13:39:15 GMT -5 steff said:

Some of you want to criminalize people who hire illegal aliens with jail time

*************************

Did you read the bill and how they want to make it crime for everyone BUT those that hire the maids & gardeners?

yeah... and it seems that you would like to criminalize people who hire illegals into their home with jail time.


That is a ridiculous waste, IMHO.

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

Well, there are two ways to look at this-- first is that it's a reasonable provision made to ensure that individuals who don't have the same level of sophistication, and resources at their disposal don't get caught up in a law that is really aimed at larger business / corporate interests who ought to know better. Second is that he just wants to make sure his house is clean, and his lawn cared for at the same low rate after this bill passes.

[Angel!]

If somebody is paying cash to a baby sitter or somebody shoveling the drive it is illegal any way without taxation.

It isn't illegal to pay cash for something. The party you are pay should report it as income though, but that isn't your responsibilty anymore than it is your responsibilty to report a payment you made to walmart or the plumbing company you hired.

I really can't see how you could feasably expect everyone to check the status of everyone they hired for a job. How would that even work? Have you ever filled out an I-9 to verify the status of your babysitter?

[deziloooooo]

Mar 2, 2011 13:34:55 GMT -5 @ed1066 said:

I'm glad my household staff are all American citizens...

Me too ed

[floridayankee]

House Committee: State Affairs
Status: In committee
Actions: (descending date order)
Description Comment Date Time Journal Page
H Referred to State Affairs 03/01/2011 554
H Read first time 03/01/2011 554
H Filed 02/09/2011

Since the bill was just read and sent to committee for the first time yesterday (3/1), how does this equate to the state of TX okaying anything?

[floridayankee]

Mar 2, 2011 1:57:07 GMT -5 @patstab said:

What a bunch of hypocrites

Instead of people flying off the handle every time they read the words "republican" or "democrat", why not actually spend a couple minutes and actually do a little research? The bill was just read for the first time yesterday. Nothing has even been voted on.

Good lord, the drama.....

[reasonfreedom]

Mar 2, 2011 14:42:14 GMT -5 Angel! said:

If somebody is paying cash to a baby sitter or somebody shoveling the drive it is illegal any way without taxation.

It isn't illegal to pay cash for something. The party you are pay should report it as income though, but that isn't your responsibilty anymore than it is your responsibilty to report a payment you made to walmart or the plumbing company you hired.

I really can't see how you could feasably expect everyone to check the status of everyone they hired for a job. How would that even work? Have you ever filled out an I-9 to verify the status of your babysitter?

No, I never have but if I had need of a babysitter your damned right I would. I think it is feasible and a responsible. If you had 10 investments would you research every one of those investments before you made them or would you blindly buy investments that you know nothing about? I am sure companies like Microsoft, Nike and Boeing verify that their employees here in the U.S. are citizens and they have tons of employees. If you have a few people working in your household that would be just laziness to not have them verified.

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

It isn't illegal to pay cash for something. The party you are pay should report it as income though, but that isn't your responsibilty anymore than it is your responsibilty to report a payment you made to walmart or the plumbing company you hired.

I really can't see how you could feasably expect everyone to check the status of everyone they hired for a job. How would that even work? Have you ever filled out an I-9 to verify the status of your babysitter?

Agreed. However, to be fair- the language in the bill is household employee, not contractor. Good Lord, if I had to check the immigration status of every contractor, and especially sub-contractor I ever hired, we'd never get started on a job. Of course that's probably the aim of some in this country-- to grind everything remotely productive to a halt. Slow us down to make it "fair" for the rest of the world by "leveling the playing field".

[reasonfreedom]

Mar 2, 2011 13:43:00 GMT -5 ArchietheDragon said:

Mar 2, 2011 13:39:15 GMT -5 steff said:

Some of you want to criminalize people who hire illegal aliens with jail time

*************************

Did you read the bill and how they want to make it crime for everyone BUT those that hire the maids & gardeners?

yeah... and it seems that you would like to criminalize people who hire illegals into their home with jail time.


That is a ridiculous waste, IMHO.

I am not sure if I can say for sure that illegals are or are not paying income taxes. I have never employed workers for my household, but I am curious from somebody that is currently doing it how the taxes work. If all of the illegals are not paying taxes, I think it is a waste of time as long as archie agrees to pay all of their income taxes ;D

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

Mar 2, 2011 15:34:03 GMT -5 reasonfreedom said:

Mar 2, 2011 14:42:14 GMT -5 Angel! said:

It isn't illegal to pay cash for something. The party you are pay should report it as income though, but that isn't your responsibilty anymore than it is your responsibilty to report a payment you made to walmart or the plumbing company you hired.

I really can't see how you could feasably expect everyone to check the status of everyone they hired for a job. How would that even work? Have you ever filled out an I-9 to verify the status of your babysitter?

No, I never have but if I had need of a babysitter your damned right I would. I think it is feasible and a responsible. If you had 10 investments would you research every one of those investments before you made them or would you blindly buy investments that you know nothing about? I am sure companies like Microsoft, Nike and Boeing verify that their employees here in the U.S. are citizens and they have tons of employees. If you have a few people working in your household that would be just laziness to not have them verified.

There's one in every crowd...

[rockon]

Hopefully this bill doesn't make it far. Just another loophole put in to satisfy a specific segment of the voters. Time to stop allowing exceptions. Make laws that are objective and fair period.

[reasonfreedom]

Mar 2, 2011 15:40:10 GMT -5 AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP said:

Mar 2, 2011 15:34:03 GMT -5 reasonfreedom said:

No, I never have but if I had need of a babysitter your damned right I would. I think it is feasible and a responsible. If you had 10 investments would you research every one of those investments before you made them or would you blindly buy investments that you know nothing about? I am sure companies like Microsoft, Nike and Boeing verify that their employees here in the U.S. are citizens and they have tons of employees. If you have a few people working in your household that would be just laziness to not have them verified.

There's one in every crowd...

Lol, I know right. Wish more people could learn how to be responsible, just imagine a responsible crowd that would be something.

[Angel!]

Mar 2, 2011 15:34:03 GMT -5 reasonfreedom said:

No, I never have but if I had need of a babysitter your damned right I would. I think it is feasible and a responsible.

Please explain to me how you would go about checking the status of a babysitter you are about to hire? I am just curious how that process would work.

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

Mar 2, 2011 15:55:43 GMT -5 reasonfreedom said:

Mar 2, 2011 15:40:10 GMT -5 AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP said:

There's one in every crowd...

Lol, I know right. Wish more people could learn how to be responsible, just imagine a responsible crowd that would be something.

Um, yeah. That's what I meant. I sure didn't mean that I want to return to a civil society in which hall monitors have to grow up and find honest work; and OCD was a medical condition / personality defect instead of some people's full time job. I mean, what kind of a shit hole would that be, right?