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Press Release

Hispanic Organizations and Hispanic Chamber Concerned With Missouri Governor Matt Blunt’s Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric.

Governor’s legislation could strain the economy.

September 13, 2007

Contact:
Lizette J. Olmos, 202-833-6130 ext. 16
 

Washington, DC - The League of United Latin American Citizens, deeply regrets the news that Missouri Governor Matt Blunt recently announced plans for state law enforcement agencies to work on an agreement that would deputize state troopers, Capitol Police, and water patrol officers to enforce federal laws. Blunt also directed all state law enforcement agencies to immediately take the steps necessary to verify the immigration status of every criminal presented for incarceration.

“We must be wise in cultivating legislation and policies that have a positive impact on our citizens, communities and economy,” said Missouri State Director Tencha Wilcox. “Police resources are already strained.”

LULAC is concerned that the directive will lead to more cases of racial profiling in the state.

“Law enforcement agencies may signal out “Hispanic-looking” people and American citizens could find themselves unfairly forced to prove their status,” said LULAC National President Rosa Rosales.

In addition, the Governor is taking steps to shield taxpayers' money from supporting building projects that employ illegal workers including:

Conducting random on-site inspections of all projects accompanied by the tax credit recipient to monitor and retrieve documentation regarding the legal status of all workers on the job. The inspections will include direct employees of the tax credit recipient, contracted or subcontracted agents and both general contractors and their subcontractors.

Performing a Compliance By Written Demand action for all tax credit recipients that requires all workers’ proof of legal status including contractors and subcontractors to be submitted within 30 days of the date of the receipt of the written request.

The Governor issued a letter to the Missouri Housing Development Commission outlining principles for the commission to consider regarding illegal immigration that include possible sanctions of up to a lifetime ban of contractors and developers who knowingly employs illegal immigrants in violation of federal law.

According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics the growth in the Missouri economy is slowing and likely to weaken in the coming months. This is not the time for the Governor to turn his back on the people of his state.

The League of United Latin American Citizens, the largest and oldest Hispanic membership organization in the country, advances the economic conditions, educational attainment, political influence, health and civil rights of Hispanic Americans through community-based programs operating at more than 700 LULAC councils nationwide.

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