Is an Immigration bill coming to Oregon? Sal Esquivel

Is an immigration bill coming to Oregon?
KTVL Medford ^ | Aug. 8, 2010 | Katie Conner

MEDFORD ORE. – Sal Esquivel, supporter of Arizona's immigration bill, is now proposing his own bill to cut down on the number of illegal immigrants in Oregon.

“It's about a $7 million problem for taxpayers,” said Sal Esquivel.

Esquivel ‘s bill would require businesses to use e-verification, a system that uses an applicant' social security number, passport or green cards to verify that he or she is a legal citizen of the Untied States.

Employers who hire illegal workers would be disciplined.

Esquivel proposed the bill last legislative session but it got turned down.

Democratic Representative Peter Buckley says the bill will most likely be passed this time around.

“The only opposition would be with the agricultural interest,” said Buckley. “There is a concern about the work force in terms of just harvesting crops.”

According to Esquivel, stopping illegal immigration in Oregon would bring $1.4 billion of tax payer's money back to the state.

“It's hard to be an American and if you want to be an America, you better work at it,” said Esquivel. “If you want to come here and just use the system, I don't welcome you.”

A reader writes:

I saw Sal at a Freedom Works conference a few months ago. He talked about his father being a bracero & how he worked for 14 years to emigrate. Wouldn’t even let his kids speak Spanish at home, he was so proud of being an American.

Sal needs to add one thing to his bill, & that’s a requirement for state offices to verify the immigration status of anyone applying for aid. State law says they cannot receive benefits, but state workers are apparently told not to verify. Outrageous!