Mass. moves closer to crackdown on illegal immigration

[getthefacts]

Led by Republicans and several Democrats who joined them, the MA Senate overwhelmingly passed an amendment to the budget that would block illegal immigrants' access to state public benefits.

Voter sentiment played no small part in this decision.

"We've all heard it back in our districts, we've heard people frustrated with the fact that we had no law on the books, we still don't have a law on the books dealing with illegal immigration," said Sen. Stephen Baddour, a Democrat from Methuen, who also voted yes.

"Plain and simply, if you are here illegally, we're going to do everything we can to prevent you from getting benefits that legal citizens and others who are here legally are entitled to," said Sen. Bruce Tarr, a Gloucester Republican who voted yes.

It includes state services such as unemployment, Medicaid, public housing, and in-state tuition rates.

"Talking about in-state tuition, I had a problem. I think that we benefit by educating people. We benefit because they're more productive obviously when they have a college education, and I think that we are financially better," said Sen. Cynthia Creem, of Newton, who voted no.

Included in this bill is a 24 hour hotline to the MA Attorney General's office, that allows anyone in the Commonwealth to report anyone else they suspect of being an illegal immigrant working for a contractor who does business with the state.


SOURCE:NECN
http://www.necn.com/05/27/10/Mass-moves-closer-to-crackdown-on-illega/landing.html?blockID=242656&feedID=4215&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter