Texas Anti-Immigration Bill Protects... Maids and Gardeners?
Texas is no stranger to an ever increasing mountain of immigration bills. An immigration bill proposed by Rep. Debbie Riddie, Republican, contains interesting language.
Riddie's House Bill 1202 proposes strict punishments against employers who "intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly" hire illegal immigrants. Employers who violate the proposed law could face jail time up to two years and a fine of up to $10,000.
Riddie's bill does have an exception which is drawing a lot of attention. People who employ illegal immigrants would be in violation of the law unless the employment is "for the purpose of obtaining labor or other work to be performed exclusively or primarily at a single-family residence."
Basically, if you hire a maid, nanny, gardener or other housework, you will not face the consequences of the bill.
Rep. Aaron Pena, a Republican, praised the exception.
"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."
The bill is drawing criticism from some for its stereotypical stance however. Illegal immigrants certainly work in housekeeping and other "single-family housing" areas of the work sector. There are however, illegal immigrants working in other employment areas who would face much dire consequences than their "house" counterparts.
If the bill passes, illegal immigrants working in other sectors not related to single family housing will defer to that sector because of the security and safety from the immigration law.
Riddie's bill may force an exodus of the illegal immigrant workforce to take on gardening and cleaning.
Riddle's chief of staff, Jon English, explained that the exception was to avoid "stifling the economic engine" in a interview with the Texas Tribune.
"It is an admittedly clumsy first attempt to say, 'We are really focusing on the big businesses,'" English said.
Other Texas immigration bills will be proposed alongside Riddie's.
One bill proposes English to be the official language of Texas, which claims to save millions in the state's printing costs said Rep. Leo Burman, Republican. He stated that the law wouldn't affect schools or ballots.
Another proposal aims to place an 8% surcharge on all money wired from Texas to Latin America. An estimated $480 million could be raised just from taxing money wired to Mexico alone, Burman said. The collections would be used for state hospitals.
Riddie's House Bill 1202 proposes strict punishments against employers who "intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly" hire illegal immigrants. Employers who violate the proposed law could face jail time up to two years and a fine of up to $10,000.
Riddie's bill does have an exception which is drawing a lot of attention. People who employ illegal immigrants would be in violation of the law unless the employment is "for the purpose of obtaining labor or other work to be performed exclusively or primarily at a single-family residence."
Basically, if you hire a maid, nanny, gardener or other housework, you will not face the consequences of the bill.
Rep. Aaron Pena, a Republican, praised the exception.
"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."
The bill is drawing criticism from some for its stereotypical stance however. Illegal immigrants certainly work in housekeeping and other "single-family housing" areas of the work sector. There are however, illegal immigrants working in other employment areas who would face much dire consequences than their "house" counterparts.
If the bill passes, illegal immigrants working in other sectors not related to single family housing will defer to that sector because of the security and safety from the immigration law.
Riddie's bill may force an exodus of the illegal immigrant workforce to take on gardening and cleaning.
Riddle's chief of staff, Jon English, explained that the exception was to avoid "stifling the economic engine" in a interview with the Texas Tribune.
"It is an admittedly clumsy first attempt to say, 'We are really focusing on the big businesses,'" English said.
Other Texas immigration bills will be proposed alongside Riddie's.
One bill proposes English to be the official language of Texas, which claims to save millions in the state's printing costs said Rep. Leo Burman, Republican. He stated that the law wouldn't affect schools or ballots.
Another proposal aims to place an 8% surcharge on all money wired from Texas to Latin America. An estimated $480 million could be raised just from taxing money wired to Mexico alone, Burman said. The collections would be used for state hospitals.
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