While immigration policy is largely a federal issue the state does have a role to play. We believe that all people are entitled to be treated with dignity and to be afforded basic human rights. That having been said, citizens of The United States has both a right and an obligation to enforce an orderly and lawful immigration system. Policies that provide incentives for people to skirt the law are inherently counterproductive and must be reformed.
With this in mind the House Republican Caucus is committed to policies that reduce the burden unauthorized aliens impose on Kansas taxpayers; and that ensure state and federal immigration law are being enforced by removing incentives to violate those laws.
Republican’s are committed to implementing a workable system to aid in the enforcement of federal laws that deny public benefits to unauthorized aliens. Failing to do so encourages a climate of law breaking that is inconsistent with our Party’s historic commitment to the rule of law.
Consistent with this principle is the protection of the integrity of our electoral system. That is why we support the imposition of tougher penalties on any unauthorized alien who registers to vote and/or votes in an election and on those who knowingly assist them in doing so.
Unfortunately, the problem of illegal immigration brings with it the associated issue of identity theft and dealing in false identity documents. We support enhanced penalties for the crime of Dealing in False ID Documentation (KSA 21-3830), as well as creation of a separate crime for those who present false identification documents to employers. These changes will have the added benefit of helping Kansas businesses better comply with immigration laws.
While we help Kansas businesses comply with the law we must also hold them accountable. The State of Kansas should not reward businesses that knowingly violate the law. As such we support withholding state funds from organizations and businesses which knowingly violate immigration laws. This would include tax credits, grants, and loans offered through various state agencies.
Finally, we support licensure penalties for any business that knowingly hires an unauthorized alien or fail to comply with federal law regarding verifying an employee's legal citizenship/work status. While most Kansas businesses comply with state and federal labor and immigration laws, businesses that chose to violate the law must be held accountable for their actions - especially repeat offenders.
