Ray Henry, AP, March 28, 2008
Linking the presence of undocumented workers to Rhode Island’s financial woes, Gov. Don Carcieri signed an executive order that includes a series of steps to combat illegal immigration.
The order signed Thursday requires state agencies and companies that do business with the state to verify the legal status of employees. It also directs the Rhode Island State Police and prison and parole officials to more aggressively find and deport illegal immigrants.
The Republican governor said he understands that illegal immigrants face hardships—but he does not want them in Rhode Island. “If you’re here illegally, you shouldn’t be here illegally. You shouldn’t be here,” Carcieri said.
{snip}
Carcieri was testy when taking questions after signing the order. When a reporter asked if his order might embolden xenophobes, Carcieri blamed the media for inflaming the immigration debate.
Under his order, state police will enter an agreement with federal immigration authorities permitting them access to specialized immigration databases. That information would allow police to identify and detain immigration violators.
State police could investigate the legal status of anyone they suspect is an immigration violator, including crime victims, witnesses and people supplying police with confidential tips, state police Maj. Steven O’Donnell said.
{snip}
Original article
(Posted on March 28, 2008)
Comments
Hey, look everybody, law enforcement is the responsibility of the executive branch of government. Who knew?
So far almost all the actions we’ve seen have come from the legislative branch passing new laws. Looks like you don’t have to wait for that slow process if you have a governor with guts and integrity.
Posted by Reader-1 at 9:32 PM on March 28
The more states take action, the more the federal government will feel pressured to standardize the process.
Posted by at 10:42 PM on March 28
Finally, it appears that the big “squeeze play” is beginning to take place. Oklahoma and Arizona have recently started to crack down on illegal aliens and now the state of Rhode Island has jumped in.
To have any effect, we’ll need a couple of northern states to implement similar policies so that the push moves in a southerly direction.
Posted by at 11:52 PM on March 28
“When a reporter asked if his order might embolden xenophobes, Carcieri blamed the media for inflaming the immigration debate.”
This was my favorite part and exactly the right response. Go on the attack and NO MORE GROVELING.
Posted by at 12:03 AM on March 29
I am thankful for the few proud Americans who still have fortitiude to enforce laws created for the National Security.
Great leaders take action and keep oaths of office. We desparately need more.
Only cowards (as we have many) would leave this nation unprotected and insecure at borders and use sympathy and foreign interests as a reason for treason. V
Posted by Vickie at 1:09 AM on March 29
“Carcieri was testy when taking questions after signing the order. When a reporter asked if his order might embolden xenophobes, Carcieri blamed the media for inflaming the immigration debate.”
It’s certain to anger xenophiles.
Posted by factualist at 11:16 AM on March 29
Geraldo has something to say about this issue, oh never mind.
Posted by Lars at 7:56 AM on March 30
Lars:
Speaking of Geraldo, I heard him on the Laura Ingraham show on Friday (it was a repeat). He was going on and on about all these nasty nativists. At one point, he said that there’s absolutely no proof that Hispanic migrants are helping Middle Eastern terrorist types jump our southern border.
The Fox broadcast (not FNC) network had a short-lived hour-long newsmagazine called “The Pulse,” hosted by Bill O’Reilly, for several months in late 2001 and early 2002. Its first show, not long after 9/11, had Geraldo Rivera showing evidence that Hispanic migrants were “coyoting” Middle Easter terrorist types over our southern border.
Posted by Question Diversity at 10:55 AM on March 30
You should send Laura Ingraham and everyone at Fox News the transcript or video from that Geraldo show.
Someone needs to expose that phony.
Posted by Citizen at 12:28 PM on March 30
“Linking the presence of undocumented workers to Rhode Island’s financial woes,…….”
Remember when it was popular to say that state governments couldn’t do anything about illegal immigration? What a crock it was. It was all about money, or at least the perceived financial impact, at the time and still is.
This also shows all we need is will power to solve the problem. Not more laws or more money spent on hightech gadgets.
Posted by Dave at 5:02 AM on March 31
This should have started two decades ago and we wouldn’t have the illegal alien problem we now face. Since they(the govt.) won’t build an effective fence, drying up jobs and law enforcement of EXISTING laws will hopefully have some impact and make them go home - unless they have an “anchor baby”, of course.
Posted by D. Andrews at 12:38 AM on April 1
