Mass. drunk driving death inspires bipartisan bill cracking down on unauthorized immigrants

[alp227]

In response to the death of a motorcyclist who was hit by a drunk driver who lacked a driver’s license because he was an undocumented immigrant, Massachusetts lawmakers from both parties introduced legislation on Friday that cracks down on unauthorized immigration.

In addition to increasing the penalties for driving without a license and restricting undocumented immigrants’ access to public benefits and employment, the bill would encourage the implementation of the Secure Communities program in Massachusetts.

(...)

Matthew Denice, a resident of Milford, Mass., was killed by Nicolas Guaman, an undocumented Ecuadoran immigrant, who struck Denice’s motorcycle with his car. The death led to calls in the community for action against unauthorized immigration. A member of the Milford Board of Selectmen, William Buckley, said of unauthorized immigration: “There’s a real impact. People are dying.”

Denice’s family, together with the selectmen and other members of the Milford community, have called on Gov. Deval Patrick (D) to support Secure Communities, a program in which local police give the biometric information of people they arrest to the federal government. Police can then hold suspected undocumented immigrants until they are taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Although some states, including Massachusetts, have tried to resist implementing Secure Communities, Patrick’s administration has recognized that they have no legal authority to do so.

full: http://washingtonindependent.com/112495/mass-drunk-driving-death-inspires-bipartisan-bill-cracking-down-on-unauthorized-immigrants

[sharp_stick]

1. As for Mr. Buckley

who's comment "William Buckley, said of unauthorized immigration: “There’s a real impact. People are dying."

Did he happen to mention anything about nice legal MA residents killing each other by drinking and driving and getting slaps on the wrist for the infraction?

[LiberalFighter]

2. How many of those illegals are known by others that know they are illegal?

How are illegals earning a living? How many employers are knowingly hiring or fail to verify their status?

[Chiquitita]

3. My thoughts are with the motorcyclist and his family

for this sad and needless death. But the response is not a rational or effective one for the problem. Unfortunately many drunk drivers and sober ones hit motorcyclists, not just immigrants. The difference is the actions of those individuals are not used as excuses to start legislating against a group of people they supposedly "represent". We need national immigration reform now. If people are living and working here for years, they need ways to become legal.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

4. Because only illegal immigrants drive drunk right?

:sarcasm:

I'll believe that they're serious about illegal immigration when they levy confiscatory fines (enough to shut down the business) on anyone who employs illegal immigrants.

Until then, it's just racist scapegoating.

(But sadly, not uncommon. I can recall an incident a few years ago in which a DUer--and a rather prolific poster, too--argued for a crackdown on illegal immigration because some Hollywood producer had been killed by an undocumented drunk driver.)