Tuesday California Democratic lawmakers introduced a package of ten bills on immigration reform designed to significantly expand benefits granted to illegal aliens in the state.
The bills include offering state-subsidized health care coverage to needy illegal immigrants by enrolling some in MediCal and offering unsubsidized plans through the Covered California exchange. Moreover, if enacted the new laws make it more difficult to deport immigrants living in California illegally.
If Democrats get their way an Office of New Americans would be created, designed to teach immigrants how to navigate their way through the bureaucracy. Additionally, reports the San Jose Mercury News, the bills increase safeguards for immigrant workers, help illegal immigrant victims of crime apply for special federal visas, and obstruct disclosure of illegal immigrant children’s records to federal authorities.
Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León said that the sweeping group of bills is a response to “intellectual laziness” and “lack of work ethic” on the part of congress. “Our food, our clothing, our music, art and technology — these are industries central to California’s advancement, and they’re all driven by immigrants,” he exhorted at a Sacramento news conference.
Joe Guzzardi, national media director for Californians for Population Stabilization, opposes the sweeping legislation suggesting that the new laws would make the Golden State an even more attractive destination for illegal border crossers.
“These proposals are the latest in a seemingly endless set of legislation designed to make illegal immigration a more comfortable thing,” Guzzardi stated. “People living in Mexico and Central America are only going to want to come here more.”
Assemblyman Tim Donnelly would agree with the director. He wrote in his article for Breitbart News, If You Give It They Will Come, that the proposed legislation “is another incentive for more illegals to come here; another excuse for the Democrat-controlled state government to raise taxes on the rest of us.”
Here is a list of the measures as provided by the News:
The measures are:
SB 4, by Sen. Ricardo Lara, D-Bell Gardens ““ Expands health care coverage for illegal immigrants by enrolling some in MediCal and offering unsubsidized plans through the Covered California exchange to others.SB 10, by Lara ““ Establishes the California Office of New Americans to help guide immigrants through confusing bureaucracies.
SB 600, by Sen. Richard Pan, D-Sacramento ““ Expands civil rights protections for illegal immigrants by making it unlawful for businesses to discriminate against them.
SB 674, by Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles, and Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins, D-San Diego ““ Ensures all immigrant victims of crimes are offered assistance applying for special federal visas.
AB 60, by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego ““ Protects illegal immigrants from attorneys who demand payments for services related to pending legislation.
AB 622, by Assemblyman Roger Hernandez, D-West Covina ““ Strengthens state Labor Code protections for all workers by limiting misuse of E-Verify, a federal program designed to prevent the undocumented from gaining employment.
AB 899, by Assemblyman Marc Levine, D-San Rafael ““ Protects immigrant children’s records from unauthorized disclosure to federal immigration authorities
AB 900, by Levine ““ Aligns state law with federal law, allowing the maximum number of youth to receive humanitarian relief through special visas.
AB 1343, by Assemblyman Tony Thurmond, D-Richmond ““ Helps illegal immigrants avoid detention and deportation by federal immigration authorities.
AB 1352, by Assemblywoman Susan Talamantes Eggman, D-Stockton ““ Prevents immigrants who complete drug rehabilitation and other court-ordered programs from being detained or deported.
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