Last Call

Kentucky Republicans are planning to put an even worse than Arizona level (and even more unconstitutional) immigration bill on Gov. Steve Beshear's desk, possibly as early as next week.

Senate Bill 6 was one of several filed Tuesday that is backed by GOP leaders, who have said they hope to pass the measure by the end of this week. Other bills filed Tuesday include a proposal to create a panel that would recommend changes to the state's tax system and bills to tweak state pensions and election laws.

Those who oppose the immigration bill — which would allow police to ask if a person was in the country legally — began to rally against SB 6 on Tuesday, saying it appears to be more onerous than Arizona's immigration law. A judge has issued an injunction halting parts of the Arizona law, including the part that allows police to stop people and verify their immigration documents.

Yeah, see, this law even if Dinosaur Steve signed it would never, ever make it past the judicial review stage. Directing law enforcement to determine the immigration status of all people they stop for a violation?  C'mon.  Why are these idiots wasting Kentucky taxpayer money on a law that can't be enforced under the Constitution?

Senate President David Williams, R-Burkesville, said Tuesday he would be open to hearing from anyone who has concerns about the bill.

Rev. Pat Delahanty, executive director of the Catholic Conference of Kentucky, said the Kentucky measure includes a provision that would allow law enforcement to arrest an illegal immigrant for trespassing. The punishment for trespassing could range from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class C or Class D felony.

"That was originally in the Arizona law, but it was taken out," Delahanty said of the trespassing measure. "It's not a deportable offense." 

The bill, filed by Sen. John Schickel, R-Union, also creates criminal charges for smuggling illegal immigrants and "aiding and abetting" illegal immigrants. 

First of all, what constitutes smuggling or aiding and abetting here?   Employing an undocumented worker?  Teaching an undocumented kid in school?  Selling them food at the grocery store?  Giving one a ride in your taxi?  Knowing living next to one as a neighbor and not ratting them out to ICE? 

Second of all, since when does Kentucky have an immigration problem?

It's impossible to say how many illegal immigrants are in Kentucky, although several studies have placed the number between 26,000 and 45,000. However, studies show that Kentucky has one of the smallest illegal immigrant populations. For example, California is estimated to have 2.7 million illegal immigrants compared to 45,000 in Kentucky, according to a 2008 Pew Hispanic Center study.

County officials have also expressed concern about whether the bill would add to the county jail and state prison population at a time when the state is looking to reduce prison and jail costs. But many county officials said this week that they had not yet seen the bill and could not comment on it. 

Sure, but Kentucky Republicans want to pass it as early as Friday for a problem that involves maybe 1% of the state population.

That's a good use of manpower for the state.  Awesome.  It'll get shot down instantly anyway.

But Kentucky Republicans think that's the most pressing issue in the state, the 1% undocumented worker rate, and not the state's 10.2% unemployment rate.

Assholes.