Sen. Hedlund in Favor of Bill Targeting Illegal Immigrants

Senator Robert L. Hedlund is among a list of lawmakers supporting legislation aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration.

 Sen. Hedlund, R-Weymouth, whose district includes Hingham, was one of many lawmakers who is in favor of  “An Act to Enhance Community Safety” which will prohibit illegal immigrants from receiving public housing ahead of citizens and legal immigrants and from receiving in-state tuition benefits at state colleges.  The reforms are also aimed to prohibit those without a valid driver’s license from registering a motor vehicle, except in specified instances.  In addition, the legislation would increase fines for those who drive without a license as well as those who produce fake driver’s licenses and other forms of identification.

The bipartisan reforms were introduced at a press conference held at the State House on Monday, a few days after the brutal murder of a 24-year old Marshfield woman who was allegedly killed by an illegal immigrant just a few miles South of Hingham.

These reforms also follow in the wake of several other recent Hingham incidents highlighting the serious illegal immigration problem facing the Commonwealth.  In 2002, Rodrigo Lima, also a Brazilian immigrant, was charged with killing a Weymouth man in a car crash in Hingham. After posting a $2,500 cash bail, Lima became a fugitive. As of today,  Lima is a still on the loose. 

In another recent case, Officer Dan Leary  witnessed a motor vehicle crash and saw one of the operators attempting to walk away.  Leary detained the man who then provided three false identities and was arrested.  At the station, Hingham Police determined the man Antonio Ferreira-Silva, a 44 year old Brazilian man, was wanted by Homeland Security. After arraignment on the Hingham charges, he was picked up by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

“The time for reform was before someone was killed by the reckless actions of an individual who should not have been here," Hedlund said in a statement. "Unfortunately we too often legislate reactively instead of proactively. I have long championed the reforms included in this bi-partisan reform package, and the needs for such reforms have never been clearer. I will continue to lead the charge to address this issue at the state level.”

Hedlund said this is one of the “toughest and most comprehensive” reform packages proposed in all his years in Beacon Hill.

“These are concrete reforms that strike at the heart of the support structure that allows illegal immigrants to thrive in the Commonwealth,” Hedlund said.
 

“An Act to Enhance Community Safety” provisions include:

• Check the citizenship status of any individual prior to arraignment;
• Prohibit illegal immigrants from receiving public housing ahead of citizens and legal immigrants;
• Prohibit illegal immigrants from receiving in-state tuition benefits at state colleges and universities;
• Direct the state Attorney General to work with US Attorney General to enforce existing federal immigration laws, and direct the Executive Office of Public Safety to report to the legislature on the deployment of the Secure Communities Program;
• Prohibit contractors caught employing illegal immigrants from receiving state contracts;
• Require businesses that contract with the state to conduct immigration status checks of all employees;
• Prohibit those without a valid driver’s license from registering a motor vehicle, except in specified instances;
• Significantly strengthen penalties for those caught driving without a license;
• Strengthen penalties for those caught forging or altering driver’s licenses, learner’s permits and other state identification cards;
• Stiffen penalty for using fake identification to gain public employment;
• Require those submitting an affidavit of indigency to submit their social security number to DOR to verify income eligibility