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Dayton
Daily News...
Sheriff
says governor’s inaction on
immigration reform is costing jobs
By Michael D. Pitman, Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
HAMILTON
— Butler County’s outspoken
sheriff says the governor’s inaction on immigration reform is costing
jobs in
Ohio.
Sheriff
Richard K. Jones sent a letter
Wednesday to Gov. John Kasich, stating: “You have been in office for
nearly six
months now. I heard you say in a speech that ‘illegal is illegal’ and
‘what
part of that don’t they understand?’”
Eight
states have passed or are
considering immigration reform laws “to provide remedies for their
illegal
population,” Jones wrote, noting that South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley
soon
plans to sign such legislation that has passed her state’s House and
Senate.
“It
appears that this is not a
priority with you and your office,” Jones wrote. “It should be a
priority for
you if you are looking at jobs, jobs, jobs,” said the sheriff, who said
illigal
immigrants “are taking jobs away from Ohioans.”
Kasich
spokesman Rob Nichols said the
governor welcomes any and all ideas, including the immigration reform
issues
from Jones.
“The
governor agrees we need to do
everything we can to create jobs for Ohioans,” Nichols said, “and he
welcomes
ideas from the sheriff and from everyone else on fiscal policies, tax
polices
and the work force policies like those mentioned by the sheriff.”
Cincinnati
Hispanic Chamber of
Commerce President Alfonso Cornejo said immigration laws similar to
Arizona and
what’s anticipated in South Carolina will not help Ohio.
“Instead
of jobs, jobs, jobs, this is
hate, hate, hate,” he said. “This is exactly the last thing we want to
do in a
state that’s struggling for growth.”
He
said illegal immigrants are not
taking jobs away, but rather doing jobs many Americans don’t want.
Cornejo said
70 percent of those working agricultural jobs in the state are Hispanic.
Jones
is known for his plans to curb
illegal immigration in Butler County. Here’s a short list of what Jones
has
done:
•
last October he wanted to sue Mexico
for the cost of incarcerating its citizens and was looking for a pro
bono
attorney to help;
•
has posted a sign,“Illegal Aliens
Here” with an arrow pointing to the county jail;
•
a few years ago mailed the U.S.
government a $70,000 bill for housing illegal immigrants in the jail
•
has campaigned with Rep. Courtney
Combs, R-Hamilton, to get an Arizona-like immigration reform bill
passed in
Ohio. He also has twice traveled with Combs to the Arizona border.
Read
it Dayton Daily News
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