Enough Nonsense, Time for Common Sense on Immigration

Last week the Senate Judiciary Committee heard Senate Bill 227 (SB227). SB227 would require the Division of Corrections to notify Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) if an inmate’s case record indicates they are not a legal resident. After reading SB227, I first assumed this was already being done. Second, I realized that deportation instead of incarceration for illegal immigrants would save our state a lot of money. So I started to do some research and found that we spend $30 million a year on incarcerating illegal residents. That is $29,000 per year per illegal immigrant in our prisons. So I reread SB227 and thought this really is not strong enough. Then I read the sponsors, ten in total, including Senate President Mike Miller. All ten are Democrats. Why would ten Democrats be sponsoring a bill against illegal immigrants? Oh, that’s right! It’s an election year. This is just a ploy to appear tough on immigration for the voters. Let's point out some flaws with this bill. A detainee’s status will only be reported to ICE if it is listed in their case record; no one at Corrections will verify that they are of legal status. They will also only be reported to ICE once they have been arrested, charged, tried, and convicted of a crime. How much will all of that cost us? The moment they are arrested and found to not be a legal resident, they should be turned over to ICE. If, and only if, ICE refuses to take action should we try them; and upon conviction, ICE should be once again notified that we have a convicted criminal who is here illegally. All inmates are now issued Correctional Facility ID Cards. If an inmate is known to be an illegal alien and is released from a correctional facility, they are released with that ID card. It is not supposed to be accepted as an official ID, but these convicted criminals will try to use this card as an ID. If ICE refuses to deport the illegal alien, then this ID card should also be labeled with their immigration status in order to prevent any misrepresentation of their status. Maryland has become a safe haven for illegal immigrants and it is costing us tens of millions of dollars every year! Casa de Maryland will argue that illegal immigrants pay taxes. Yes, some do, but not all and not fully. Deduct the taxes they pay from the cost of education, health care, and unemployment for American citizens and it does not add up. How would the state budget look if we deducted the cost of education and health care for illegals? How would our unemployment rate look then? Some say, “Illegal immigrants are the only ones willing to do the work they do.” If you believe that, then I challenge you to go to your local unemployment office, pick any man in any line, look him in the eye, and make that statement! You will find that you could not be more wrong. I always hear the same response as to why someone is here illegally: “It’s too hard and costs too much to come here legally.” That may be true, but that does not give you the right to break the law. Casa de Maryland should be working to fix the immigration process, not teaching foreign nationals how to circumvent the law. My great-grandparents were from Germany, and my mother-in-law came to America when she was six. I have no problem with someone wanting to come to America looking for a better life for his or her family. On the contrary, I respect and encourage them! But I encourage them to do so legally! Annapolis needs to stop worrying about Casa de Maryland and do what is right for the citizens of Maryland! It is time to send Annapolis a message.

John Paff
Republican Candidate for the Maryland House of Delegates, District 34A