Last-minute battle targets restrictions
•Legal front: Sanctuary status sought
Last-minute battle targets restrictions
By Devona Walker
Comments 
67
Published: October 30, 2007
In the final hours of October, the fight to block House Bill 1804 rages on.
On Wednesday, the National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders will meet with U.S. District Judge James Payne to argue for a temporary injunction against HB 1804, largely considered one of the toughest immigration enforcement bills in the nation.NewsOK Related Articles
What's in the law?
HB 1804 makes it illegal harbor, hire, transport or conceal illegal immigrants. It primarily targets immigrants, their landlords and employers, but has broad implication, said Terrill, R-Moore.
Hispanics across the state, both U.S. citizens and legal residents, are speaking out about the tone of immigration enforcement. While illegal immigration is a problem, many say enforcement should not happen in a vacuum. They also say the government should also look at repairing the costly and complicated visa application process.
"This law is going to affect every aspect of the Hispanic community,” said Mauro Yanez, of Oklahoma City, who is the lead instructor of technical Spanish and a program coordinator at Oklahoma State University. The Venezuelan native and U.S. resident said it has been difficult to assimilate in the U.S. He also says it has been a struggle to remain here legally, and to withstand the visa application process.
"It's a privilege to be here, but at the same time it is a challenge,” Yanez said. "I see so much prejudice here.”
Lindley, too, said legal Oklahoma residents have been forced to live in fear directly because of the legislation.
Loan officers at First Commercial Bank on Oklahoma City's south side say there has been about a 10 percent increase in account closures they think is related to the panic by some people.
"Regardless of how they might want to dress it up, this bill targets Hispanics,” said immigration attorney Steven Langer. "But the impact on this city will not only damage Hispanics.”
Related Topics:
Culture and Lifestyle, Domestic Policy, Social Policy, Special Interest Groups, Social Issues, Religion, Christianity, Immigration Policy, Hispanic and Latino Issues, Immigration
Prev
Something to say about this topic? Submit a Letter to the Editor online
Thank you for joining our conversations on newsok. We encourage your discussions but ask that you stay within the bounds of our terms and conditions. Please help us by reporting comments that violate these guidelines. To review our rules of engagement, go to Commenting and posting policy.
Log in below or sign up (it's free).
January 4, 2007 (Washington, DC) – After numerous refusals over three and a half years, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has released the first known public copy of the U.S.-Mexico Social Security Totalization Agreement. The government made the disclosure in response to lawsuits filed under the Freedom of Information Act by TREA Senior Citizens League, a 1.2 million member nonpartisan seniors advocacy group.
The Totalization Agreement could allow millions of illegal Mexican workers to draw billions of dollars from the U.S. Social Security Trust Fund.
A loophole in current Social Security law could allow millions of today's Mexican workers to eventually collect billions of dollars worth of Social Security benefits for earnings under fraudulent or "non-work authorized" Social Security numbers, putting huge new pressures on the Social Security Trust Fund.
If an illegal worker working in the United States today gets a "work authorized" Social Security number through guest worker immigration legislation, the Totalization Agreement, or perhaps just over time, that worker could eventually apply for Social Security benefits once he or she has met eligibility requirements.
In addition, that worker could be able to claim credits for work performed while in the U.S. illegally. The SSA maintains an "earnings suspense file," which tracks wages that cannot be posted to individual workers' records because there is no match for a name and Social Security number. Once an immigrant gains access to a work authorized Social Security number – whether a legal citizen or not – wages earned while in the U.S. unlawfully could be reinstated to the worker's new Social Security account.
The Congressional Research Service reports the earnings suspense file currently stands at approximately $520 billion. According to the congressional testimony of SSA Inspector General Patrick P. O'Carroll in February 2006, "We believe the chief cause of wage items being posted to the earnings suspense file instead of an individual's earning record is unauthorized work by non citizens."
The agreement between the U.S. and Mexico was signed in June 2004, and is awaiting President Bush's signature. Once President Bush approves the agreement, which would be done without Congressional vote, either House of Congress would have 60 days to disapprove the agreement by voting to reject it.
"The Social Security Administration itself warns that Social Security is within decades of bankruptcy – yet, they seem to have no problem making agreements that hasten its demise," said Ralph McCutchen, Chairman of the TREA Senior Citizens League. "Our 1.2 million elderly members didn't sacrifice through difficult times so we could fund millions of workers who crossed the border and decided to work here illegally."