FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: State Rep. Rebecca Hamilton
Capitol: (405) 557-7397

Bill to Target Companies Creating Illegal Immigration Problem

OKLAHOMA CITY (January 22, 2008) - Legislation filed this week by state
Rep. Rebecca Hamilton would target the root cause of illegal
immigration.
"There has been too much invective, blaming and name-calling
where this issue is concerned. That kind of behavior damages our
community and encourages legislators to vote for bad laws that don't
help anyone. I hope that this bill will begin a conversation focused on
finding positive solutions that build our state and that avoid
abrogating the human rights of any of our residents.
"The influx of illegal immigrants into Oklahoma is a symptom of larger
problems. If we don't address the causes of illegal immigration, we will
never be able to deal effectively with it. Illegal immigration is in
large part a direct result of the failure of United States corporations
operating south of the border to be good corporate citizens in those
countries. Legislation that tries only to punish people and pit one
group of low-income workers against another doesn't help the problem. In
fact, it makes it worse." said Hamilton, D-Oklahoma City.
House Bill 3067, by Hamilton, would repeal portions of an
infamous law approved last session to address illegal immigration
problems (House Bill 1804) - a law many critics argue has simply been
anti-Hispanic.
Hamilton said her bill would instead target the primary cause of
illegal immigration - the exploitation of immigrant workers by large
corporations - instead of targeting poor people whose lives are already
a financial struggle.
"Every country has the right to defend its own borders, but
Oklahoma's current immigration law doesn't do that," Hamilton said. "We
need to go after those who profit off illegal immigration both here and
in other countries."
House Bill 3067 would make it illegal for the state of Oklahoma
to contract with any company that has closed American facilities and
opened new factories outside the country unless they operate those
factories in compliance with United States wage, safety and human rights
guarantees.
Companies that operate in other countries and do not maintain workplace,
labor and minimum-wage standards comparable to U.S. law would also be
barred from receiving state contracts under the legislation.
Citing United States Department of Labor statistics, the
legislation notes that wages in both Mexico and the United States have
fallen since the ratification of the North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA).
In addition, Hamilton noted most labor unions in Mexico are either owned
outright by the employer or controlled by the Mexican government,
meaning workers have no leverage to protect their basic rights in
American-owned facilities in Mexico.
Hamilton said American-owned plants in Mexico pay substandard wages and
deduct fees from their Mexican worker's wages, which "makes it
impossible for people to live on what they are paid by these
corporations."
The low wages and poor working conditions available in Mexico lead many
natives to illegally enter the United States where they can earn more
even when working for less money than most Americans and taking jobs
that are relatively hazardous.
"You can't solve a problem unless you address the root causes,"
Hamilton said. "Right now, the state of Oklahoma is basically targeting
Hispanic people and other immigrants when we should be targeting the
companies that take advantage of lax border enforcement to exploit
lower-wage workers in both countries."
Hamilton, who was one of only nine lawmakers to consistently
opposed House Bill 1804 in the Legislature, noted those who claim House
Bill 1804 is forcing illegal immigrants to leave Oklahoma cannot base
those arguments on hard data. And anecdotal evidence clearly contradicts
those claims, she said.
For example, although Census Bureau figures indicate more
illegal immigrants live in Hamilton's south Oklahoma City district than
any other district in Oklahoma, there has been no noticeable population
shift since House Bill 1804 took effect.
"I can say without equivocation that the people in my district
are still here," Hamilton said. "If large numbers of people living
illegally in Oklahoma are leaving the state, I would have noticed it."

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