AJC:A last-ditch effort to ban driver’s licenses for immigrants who have been granted a humanitarian reprieve from deportation – because they were brought here as children — died on a bipartisan 27-8 vote in the state Senate on Monday. The amendment was offered by Bill Heath, R-Bremen. Opposition was led by another Republican, Tommie Williams of Lyons – the former Senate president pro tem, a former missionary, and a farmer who deals in pine straw and blueberries. Said Williams: “We’re legislators. We write the law. But in the law, we should consider not just justice, but some wisdom and some moderation…“The folks that came here, that we’re referring to, have come to America not of their own accord. They came here because their parents brought them here. “And I think what the amendment does is punish the son for the sins of the parent. The son is not responsible for the sin of the parent. And not only that, we educated them through kindergarten and middle school and high school, and basically said, ‘You’re American.’ “I understand what the law says. I understand the law. And the law should be enforced. But the law’s not being enforced and the [federal government] is saying these people have the status to be here. And frankly, we can’t fix that. Only Congress can fix that. We continue to try to be Congress. Immigration is not a state issue.
Posted on: Tue, 04 Mar 2014 03:41:00 +0000
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