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 Post subject: Agenda for 10/7/08 Immigration Study Committee Meeting
PostPosted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 9:48 am 
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Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2007 8:30 pm
Posts: 2037
The Immigration Study Committee meets today at 1 p.m. Eastern time. If you cannot attend, you can listen to the webcast at the link at the bottom of this email. The members of this committee need to hear from you. Their email addresses and phone numbers are posted on the IFIRE forum here: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1450

Additional meetings are set for Oct. 14 and Nov. 10 but the agenda hasn’t been posted yet.

Cheree

INTERIM STUDY COMMITTEE ON
IMMIGRATION ISSUES
Legislative Services Agency
200 West Washington Street, Suite 301
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-2789
Tel: (317) 233-0696 Fax: (317) 232-2554


Members
Sen. Dennis Kruse, Co-Chairperson
Sen. Ed Charbonneau
Sen. Michael Delph
Sen. Timothy Skinner
Sen. Richard Young
Sen. Frank Mrvan
Rep. Scott Pelath, Co-Chairperson
Rep. Vern Tincher
Rep. Mara Candelaria-Reardon
Rep. Eric Koch
Rep. Timothy Harris
Rep. Jackie Walorski

LSA Staff:
Eliza Houston Stephenson, Attorney for the
Committee
Bill Brumbach, Fiscal Analyst for the Committee
Al Gossard, Fiscal Analyst for the Committee
Authority: Legislative Council Resolution 08-01

Meeting Date: October 7, 2008
Meeting Time: 1:00 P.M. (Eastern Time)
Meeting Place: State House, 200 W. Washington St.,Room 404
Meeting City: Indianapolis, Indiana
Meeting Number: 3


MEETING AGENDA
(1) Call to order.
(2) The Committee will hear testimony only from the following:

(A) The effect of immigration policy on religious communities.
• Norman Wilson, Coordinator of Intercultural Studies,
Indiana Wesleyan University
• Glenn Tebbe, Executive Director,
Indiana Catholic Conference
• David Johns, Associate Professor of Theology,
Earlham School of Religion
• Jennifer Riggs, Director of Refugee and Immigration
Ministries Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
• Reverend Samuel Ruiz, Alliance of Hispanic Pastors

(B) Information on E-Verify.
• Kathy Lotspeich, Deputy Chief for the Verification Division ,
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

(C) The impact of illegal immigration on state wage rates and labor
markets and the nature of businesses and business sectors that tend
to employ illegal labor.
• Sean Keefer, Deputy Commissioner,
Indiana Department of Labor

(D) Taxes paid by undocumented workers.

• Tom Conley, Legislative Liaison,
Indiana Department of Revenue

(E) The different types of documentation required for agricultural
workers.
• Elisha Modisett, Legislative Liaison, Indiana State
Department of Agriculture

(F) How businesses handle hiring agricultural workers and the
importance of agricultural workers.
• Steve Smith, Director of Agriculture, Red Gold
• Illiana Watermelon Association
-- Mike Horrall, President, Melon Acres Inc.
-- Brad Wonning, President, Wonning Melons Farms
-- Dennis Mouzin, Produce producer
-- Mark Komman, Produce producer

(3) Adjournment by 5:30 P.M.

(The meeting will be broadcast over the Internet for those unable to attend. Please
visit http://mediaserver.ihets.org/waysandmeans to listen to the Webcast.)


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 Post subject: Re: Agenda for 10/7/08 Immigration Study Committee Meeting
PostPosted: Sun Oct 12, 2008 10:44 pm 
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Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2007 8:30 pm
Posts: 2037
I missed the first hour of testimony. Here are some things that stood out to me:



I did hear Rev. Jennifer Riggs, Disciples of Christ, who said the churches have started setting up bond funds so they can bail illegals out of detention! Rep. Tincher asked her about this scenario. If an American fell on hard times, couldn’t find work and robbed a bank to support his family, would the church bail him out? Her answer was “No” because the American robber was a criminal but illegally crossing the border is not a crime, it’s like jaywalking! Rep. Harris said his district took bids on a big contract. A contractor from out of state who used lower-paid illegals got the contract instead of a local Hoosier company that played by the rules. Did Rev. Riggs think the illegal alien employer ought to be punished? Her concern was for the illegals and if they were being mistreated she thought the employer should be punished. Rev. Riggs said they have a full time paid lobbiest in Wash D.C. When asked if she supported amnesty, she said she wouldn’t use the word “amnesty” but she supports a process whereby illegals can earn legal status by working, learning English or not having a criminal record. Her church pays legal fees to try to get legal status for crossers once they’re here. They also transport them to be with their relatives if they make it across the border or if ICE releases them.

Dr. David Johns, professor at some school of religion, basically said it doesn’t matter what laws Indiana passes. It won’t change what the churches do! I think someone asked him if that was a threat. He said it wasn’t but his long explanation didn’t clarify things.

IN Dept. of Labor and IN Dept of Revenue and IN Ag Dept all said they keep no records on illegals.

The guys from Red Gold and the Melon Growers testified that if LEGAL workers even perceive that Indiana is anti-immigrant, they won’t come. They’re all related and if one is illegal and 3 are legal, they will all go where they feel welcome. They said it’s too hard to hire legal workers through the H2a visa program.
One guy said AZ’s law is really hurting the growers there but then he said he doesn’t know anyone in AZ and he didn’t have anything but vague anecdotal “evidence.”


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