May 10, 2008 8:04 PM
Basic messages to use in contacting the legislators:
1) This bill would be an economic disaster: it threatens both one of our most vulnerable economic sectors — housing — and tries to idle one of our strongest economic engines — the economic contributions of immigrants.
2) Home construction costs will rise as contractors are forced to pay the costs of immigration enforcement which the federal government should be paying. They also get to wonder whether needed projects will go unfinished as contractors are driven out of business.
3) This is happening against a backdrop of tough economic times, and a down housing economy. Adding insult to injury is not the way Suffolk County's leaders can help us stay out of recession.
4) Voters have been clear: They want solutions to our immigration challenges that help everybody win: a path to citizenship for those who work hard, follow the rules, pay taxes, and learn English.
5) If Suffolk were serious about improving the lives of workers, they'd be talking about enforcing minimum wage and overtime pay laws — not punishing hard-working immigrants and saddling taxpayers with the bill.
6) Washington needs to step in and take some action so individual jurisdictions are not forced to pick up the slack, at their own expense. We need comprehensive immigration reform now.
Thanks to Luis for supplying these.