It’s business as usual up on Goat Hill

The Legislature’s failure to deal with illegal immigration is disappointing though not surprising. Business interests rather than voters grabbed legislators’ attention.

Illegal immigration was a key issue when legislators began the 2008 regular session in the winter. With one legislative day remaining, only a single bill pertaining to illegal immigration has much chance of passing.

That bill, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, requires people who apply for public assistance from the state to prove they are in the country legally. Sen. Orr’s bill is good, but it falls way short of addressing the problem.

One proposed bill made employers responsible if they knowingly hired illegal immigrants. But business people said having to validate the status of foreign workers, even with the “knowingly” loophole, is more than they can handle. Yet, current federal law gives them virtually no responsibility in checking worker documents.

The state can cut off welfare or enact any variety of measures, but employment is the key to addressing the illegal immigrant problem. Immigrants who can’t find work will go home. Government indifference makes illegal immigrants a cheap and plentiful source for workers who the rest of us subsidize with social, educational and medical programs.

Voters told candidates running for office two years ago they wanted illegal immigration stopped. Candidate after candidate pledged to address the issue in the Legislature.

After the session, they will explain that the immigration issue was too complex for them to address.

But legislators figured out a way to better hide their campaign contributions that come from special interests, like those who are killing immigration reform.

That legislation may pass May 19 and legislators will say they reformed political action committees.