Some push for county-level law on immigration hiring

SALEM, Ore. - Voters in Marion and Polk counties could decide in November whether their county governments should police the hiring of illegal immigrants.

The initiatives would require employers with five or more employees to use E-Verify, which is the free federal service that lets employers verify if someone can legally work in the United States.

In addition, a county tip line would be established and a county enforcement officer would check out the tips. If an employer is found not to have used E-Verify, the enforcement officer would issue a fine.

The group’s behind the initiatives, Oregonians for Immigration Reform and Americans for Prosperity, started signature gathering at last week’s Salem tea party rally. They said they think voters in the two counties are fed up with the immigration issue and are ready to take matters into their own hands. And since they are just trying to get the initiatives on county ballots, they don’t need to gather that many. Additionally, they said they are tired of pushing for federal and statewide reform - a tactic they said that is not working.

Bob Carson signed the E-Verify petition at last week’s tea party rally in Salem.

“These people come in and feel they have a right and are entitled to this stuff without going through due process. It’s just not right,” he said.

James Randall, a construction worker, also signed the petition because he said illegal immigrants are taking jobs from unemployed Oregonians.

“We need to make sure that the people here working should be here working, especially in bad economic times,” he said.

Opponents of the initiatives say it is the federal government’s job to police illegal immigration, not the county’s. And with county budgets facing deep cuts, they say the counties wouldn’t be able to police employers anyway.

“During these times we need to make sure that employers and county government don’t face one more burden they’re going to impose on our community,” said Francisco Lopez executive director of CAUSA, Oregon’s immigrant rights coalition.

A spokesman for Marion County said the county doesn’t have the money for new expenses. And opponents said they would likely challenge the law in court based on the argument that it isn’t the county’s job to enforce federal immigration law.