Justice and Advocacy -- Lehigh County Conference of Churches

JUSTICE AND ADVOCACY
AN AFFILIATE WEBSITE OF
LEHIGH COUNTY CONFERENCE OF CHURCHES

"The views and policies expressed in these pages are not necessarily those of the Lehigh County Conference of Churches"

Community Forums
on Immigration

April 18, 2011 - 7pm
at Montgomery County
Community College
[download flyer]

May 4, 2011 - 5:30pm
at Holy Cross United Methodist Church
329 N. 5th Street Reading, PA
May 18, 2011 - 7pm
at Hope UCC
1031 Flexer Avenue
Allentown
[download flyer]

IMMIGRATION RESOURCES

Watch Hearings and Legislative Sessions On-Line at PCN-TV

LEHIGH VALLEY - PENNSYLVANIA

Immigration Reform

Welcome Neighbor

Advocacy

PA Legislation

ORGANIZATIONS & AGENCIES

Faith-Based Resources
Immigration & Trade Policy
Other Organizations
Legal Sites
Government Agencies
Other Resources

IMMIGRATION ISSUES

Children & Youth

DREAM Act

Detention Centers

Economic Impact

Legislation - Pennsylvania

Legislation - U.S.

Mexican Perspective
U.S.-Mexico Border

New Sanctuary Movement

Refugee Resettlement

Stories & Movies

Undocumented Immigrants

Immigration and Public Policy

Pennsylvania Legislation

The following immigration-related bills have been introduced in the 2011-2012 legislative session. In practice, these bills would affect not only undocumented immigrants, but also some legal permanent residents and U.S. citizens.

Bill Number and Description (Senate Bills followed by House Bills)	Lead Sponsor	Assigned Committee (see notes [1], [T], [2], [3])

SB 9 - government issued ID for public aid	Scarnati	House approval pending after House & Senate amendments (passed House on 6/21/12) (passed Senate on 5/24/11)
SB 637 - public works projects required to use E-Verify	Ward	Signed into law 7/5/2012 as Act 127
SB 515 - mandatory determination and reporting of citizenship & immigration status for anyone arrested	Orie	Judiciary
SB 737 - Pa. enforcement of U.S. immigration law	Rafferty	Law and Justice
SB 947 - employers/contractors required to use E-Verify	Rafferty	Labor and Industry

HB 41- government issued ID for public aid	Marsico	State Government
HB 355 - Prohibits sheltering illegal aliens	Readshaw	State Government
HB 361- English as the official language of PA	Swanger	State Government
HB 379- E-Verify for state contractors	Galloway	State Government
HB 380- E-Verify for construction employers	Galloway	full House [T]
HB 439 - sanctions for employing illegal aliens	Mustio	Senate State Government (passed House on 11/15/11)
HB 474 - denies citizenship rights of 14th Amendment	Cox	State Government
HB 526 - longer sentences for crimes by illegal aliens	Reichley	Judiciary
HB 659 - English as the official language of PA	Barrar	Education
HB 738 - local enforcement of US immigration law	Metcalfe	State Government
HB 798 - requires check of immigration or citizenship status for all arrests	Creighton	full House [T]
HB 799 - enable State Police to enforce immigration laws	Creighton	State Government
HB 801 - requires local government enforcement of immigration laws	Creighton	State Government
HB 809 - verify status of anyone who applies for benefits	Perry	State Government
HB 810 - financial penalties against sanctuary cities /towns	Perry	State Government
HB 856 - arrest/felony charge for transporting illegal aliens	Kauffman	Senate Judiciary (passed House on 5/9/12)
HB 857 - Commonwealth Citizenship Act	Metcalfe	State Government
HB 858 - prohibts hiring illegal aliens and requires documented use of E-verify	Metcalfe	State Government
HB 865 - makes sanctuary cities liabiable for alien crimes	Knowles	full House [T]
HB 888 - English as the official language of PA	Perry	State Government
HB 1024 - impose $5000 fine for hiring illegal aliens	DeLuca	Judiciary
HB 1789 - requires verification of citizenship/immigration status for children in foster care	Youngblood	Children & Youth

[1] - on FIRST CONSIDERATION, a bill is introduced and assigned to committee.
[T] - BILL TABLED following FIRST CONSIDERATION (HOUSE) See House Calendars
[2] - SECOND CONSIDERATION - this bill is scheduled for debate and amendments before the full
HOUSE or SENATE. See House Calendars or Senate Calendar.
[3] - THIRD CONSIDERATION - this bill is scheduled for final vote in HOUSE or SENATE.
See House Calendars or Senate Calendar.

Resources on Legislative Issues

Background Commentary from Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition
(last updated June 2011)

The Case Against Restricting Access to Public Benefits,
relating to Pennsylvania Senate Bill 9 and House Bills 41, 738, 809.
The Case Against the E-Verify Employee Verification System (from PICC),
relating to Pennsylvania House Bills 379, 380 and 858, and Senate Bills 637 and 947.
The Case Against Making Police Act as Immigration Agents,
relating to Pennsylvania Senate Bills 515 and 891 and House Bills 738, 798, 799 and 801, which mimic Arizona SB 1070.
The Case Against Abolishing Birthright Citizenship,
relating to Pennsylvania House Bills 474 and 857.
Immigrant Contributions - why Pennsylvania should welcome immigrants.
Sample Letters to Members of the Pennsylvania Legislature: [Senate Letter] [House Letter]

ACLU Pennsylvania Legislative Update - includes many of the bills listed above.
Other "Talking Points" related to several of the bills listed above, from Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition, July 2010 workshop on legislation.
What is E-Verify? - aka, Basic Pilot/Employment Eligibility Verification Program (National Conference of State Legislatures)

Background: What's Behind Anti-Immigrant Legislation

Center for New Community - research and reports on the origin and consequences of anti-immigrant legislation in Pennsylvania and nation-wide.
Kris Kobach - the man behind anti-immigrant legislation (NPR)

Constructive Immigration Reform

Immigration is controlled by federal law, so that only the U.S. Government can implement comprehensive immigration reform; but there are some constructive things that states can do.

Reform Immigration for America - Resources for State and Local Elected Leaders for Immigration Reform (rather than enforcement-only legislation).

Pennsylvania Legislature

Pennsylvania General Assembly - comprehensive information about the legislature and legislation.
How does a bill become law in Pennsylvania?
Who are my elected representatives in Harrisburg?
Search by Your Home Address or list legislators by County.