Déjà vu: Immigration Reform 2011

State level immigration reform is back in the news and this time the controversy is much closer to home. Legislators in Kentucky are considering an immigration reform initiative similar to Arizona’s controversial SB 1070. The Kentucky law, SB6, would expand the power of Kentucky law enforcement officials to enforce federal immigration laws. Supporters of the bill argue that the state has to act because federal officials are failing to enforce immigration laws. Opponents of the bill feel that it is too harsh and punishes undocumented residents without offering constructive, comprehensive solutions for reform.

As it stands, SB6 would target anyone for detention who does not speak English or who appears to have been born outside the United States. The law would also target anyone who ‘assists’ an undocumented worker of their undocumented children. This might include a person who provides transportation to church or a doctor’s visit. The long arm of this particular law would ultimately cost the Kentucky state treasury $40 million in lost tax revenue. The passage of this law could also result in millions of dollars in lost foreign investors and fewer foreign students at Kentucky universities.

Is Kentucky really on the verge of enforcing an Arizona-style immigration law? Is this law even constitutional? Is it fair? Do states have the money, or the right, to enforce laws such as this one? Is this law symptomatic of larger anxieties about the changes taking place in our country? What do you think about SB6?

To learn more about SB6, visit: Kentucky.gov and HERE!