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PO Box 68 Bellefonte, PA 16823-0068 Email: panow@panow.org website: http://www.panow.org Phone: 814-280-8571 Fax: 814-355-3057
DearMs.Boyle: Wearewritingonbehalfoftheapproximately14,000duespayingmembersandcontributorstothe NationalOrganizationforWomeninPennsylvania.PennsylvaniaNOW,Inc.isthestatewidechapter thatworkstobringaboutfullequalrightsforallwomen.Wearewritingyoutoexpressouropposition toseveraloftheantiimmigrationbillsbeforetheHouseofRepresentativesthatwillbeheardduringthis hearingonAugust30.Weunderstandthatthefollowingbillsarelikelytobecoveredduringthis hearing(listedbyName,BillNumber,PrimeSponsor,andthecurrentstatusofeachbill) IdentificationofLawfulPresenceBills o SB9/Scarnati/PassedSenateandReferredtoCommitteeonStateGovernment o HB41/Marsico/ReferredtoCommitteeonStateGovernment o ArizonaModelLegislation/HB738/Metcalfe/ReferredtoCommitteeonState Government PenaltiesandDutiesofAgencies/HB355/Readshaw/RereferredtoStateGovernment LicenseRevocation/HB439/Mustio/RereferredtoCommitteeonStateGovernment StateCompact/HB474/Cox/ReferredtoCommitteeonStateGovernment CriminalRecords/HB798/Creighton/ReferredtoCommitteeonStateGovernment MemorandumofUnderstanding/HB799/Creighton/ReferredtoCommitteeonState Government PowerofLawEnforcement/HB801/Creighton/ReferredtoCommitteeonStateGovernment SanctuaryBills o SanctuaryCitiesFunding/HB810/Perry/ReferredtoCommitteeonStateGovernment o SanctuaryCitiesVictims/HB865/Knowles/RereferredtoStateGovernment SmugglingofHumanBeings/HB856/Kauffman/RereferredtoCommitteeonState Government CommonwealthCitizenshipAct/HB857/Metcalfe/RereferredtoCommitteeonState Government Everification/HB858/Metcalfe/RereferredtoCommitteeonStateGovernment
Weopposeallofthesebillsingeneralastheyareanimmigrationenforcementonlyformoflegislation anddonottakeintoaccountthedisparateimpacttheselawswouldhaveonallresidentsdocumented
Identification Bills
Therearetwotypesofbillsdealingwithidentificationissues.Onedealswithemploymentand obtainingformsofidentification.Theothertypedealswithaccesstopublicbenefits. HB858requiresallPennsylvaniaemployerstoenrollinthefederalEVerifyprogramtoconfirm employeeSocialSecuritynumbers.Italsodeniesanyformofregistration(includingdriverslicenses)to individualswhocannotprovethattheyarelegalresidentsoftheUS.Thisbillcouldcauseserious problemsforvictimsfleeingdomesticviolencesituationswithoutanyidentification. SenateBill9andHouseBills41and738requireindividualstoproduceagovernmentissuedformof identificationtoprovetheirlawfulpresenceinPennsylvaniainordertoreceiveeitherpublicbenefitsor benefitsfromnonprofitagencieswhoreceiveanyfundingfromthestate.SenateBill9isthefurtherest alonginthelegislativeprocess;ithaspassedoutoftheSenateandiscurrentlyintheStateHouse GovernmentCommittee.HB738ismodeledonArizonasAntiImmigrationlaw.Allthreewilltieup governmentprograms,costthestatemillionsofdollars,furtherhurtourfragileeconomy,andplacethe livesofwomenandchildrenindanger. BothSB9andHB41requireidentificationforlawfulpresenceintheUnitedStatesasaprerequisiteto thereceiptofpublicbenefits.Amongtherestrictionsaredenialofanybenefitthatthestateorlocal governmentprovidesincluding,inthecaseofHB41,accesstoanylocalfoodbanks&services providedtowomen,infants,&childrenthroughtheSpecialSupplementalNutritionProgramfor Women,Infants&Children(WIC).(Letsstarvethekids!).Bothalsorequirethattheidentificationbe verifiedthroughtheflawedfederalHomelandSecuritysSystematicAlienVerificationofEntitlement (SAVE)database. HB738ismuchbroadertheneitherSB9andHB41andaspreviouslystated,mirrorsmuchofArizonas antiimmigrantlawSB1070.Ithasseveralsections.First,likeSB9andHB41,itrequiresallagencies andmunicipalitiestoverifythatapplicantsforpublicbenefitsareeitherUScitizensorlawful immigrants.ThisappliestoapplicantsforFederal,State,orlocalpublicbenefitsprograms.Allother applicantsnotexemptwouldhavetosignanaffidavitswearinglawfulimmigrationstatus,subjectto verificationthroughtheflawedSystematicAlienVerificationofEntitlementProgram.Second,itfines officials,agencies,andmunicipalitiesforfailuretoenforcethelaw.Third,itmakesitacrimetobe JoanneL.TostiVasey,Ph.D.2
THESE BILLS ALL RELY ON THE USE OF THE FLAWED FEDERAL E-VERIFY SYSTEM
AccordingtotheNationalImmigrationLawCenter,thereisanerrorrateofbetween0.08and2.3percent inverificationofemploymenteligibilityfordocumentingimmigrantslegalstatusintheUS.Nationally, thatmeansthatwithanestimated60,000,000newhireseachyear,somewherebetween480,000and 1,300,000legalimmigrantsandUScitizenswillbeflaggedasundocumented1.Accordingtothe2010 Census,4.2percentofthetotaladultUSpopulationresideinPennsylvania.2Assumeforamomentthat 4.2percentor2,425,000ofthesenewhiresoccurinPennsylvaniaeachyear.Thatmeansforemployment searchesalone,anestimatedtotalofbetween1,940and55,775legalresidentswilllikelybeflaggedas undocumented.ThisnumberwillbeevenhigheriftheEverifysystemisusednotonlyforemployment butforaccesstopublicbenefits.Andthisnumberwillbehigheroncethestateattemptstoverify childrenaswellasadults.
JoanneL.TostiVasey,Ph.D.3
PennsylvaniaNOW,Inc. id,suchasadriverslicenseorapassport.Peoplewhohavelosttheiroriginalbirthcertificateorwho havenoaccesstotheirdocumentationsuchasdomesticviolencevictimswhohavefledtheirviolent homeswithoutanyidentificationorforpeoplewhohavelostalloftheirbelongingsinadisastercould resultindelaysthattheycannotwaitfor.Inaddition,peoplewithoutpersonaltransportcouldbe furtherdelayedbynotbeingabletotraveltoaphotoidcentertoobtainaphotoid. Besidethecomplicationsinobtaininggovernmentissuedphotoidsprovingalegalbasisforbeinginthe UnitedStates,thereistheadditionalcostforsettingupandmaintainingtheseidentificationprograms. Thiscancausefinancialproblemstothestateinadditiontodelayingthedistributionofneededbenefits todocumentedindividuals.Forexample,Coloradoreportedthatthestateincurredover$2,000,000in additionalcostsinthefirstyearoffullimplementationoftheirphotoidlawandGovernorRendells administrationestimatedthatimplementingthephotoidrequirementsfortheUnemployment CompensationprogramalonethatisrequiredbySB9wouldcostanadditional$20,000,000.3
JoanneL.TostiVasey,Ph.D.4
PennsylvaniaNOW,Inc. Additionally,womenwhohavebeenmadehomeless(92percentofhomelesswomenhaveexperienced physicaland/orsexualviolenceatsomepointintheirlives6)orwhoarefleeingdomesticviolenceand leavewithoutanydocumentationareparticularlyvulnerable.YetonlySB9mentionsanexemptionto providingdocumentationfordomesticviolencevictimsiftheysignanaffidavitofdomesticviolence. Homelessvictimswhohaveanevenmoredesperatelifeandareinneedofservicesmaynothaveeither theabilitytoortheknowledgeofhowtoobtaineitherthisneededidentificationorthislimited exemptionfromhavingthisformofidentification.Andsincetheyhavenopermanentdomicile, obtainingaphotoidwithacurrentaddressisnotlikelytohappen. HB738ADDITIONALLYRELIESONRACIALPROFILING Inadditiontothegeneralconcernsaboutalloftheseidentificationbills,wehaveanadditionalconcern aboutHB738.Inadditiontotheidrequirements,itallowspoliceofficerstostopandseizeanyvehicle theysuspectmightbeusedfortransportingundocumentedworkers.LikewithHB856,thissectionof thebillreliesonillegalracialprofiling. Thisbillallowspoliceofficerstostopanyvehicledrivenbysomeonetheythinkmightbetransporting undocumentedworkersifreasonablesuspicionexists.Whatdeterminesreasonablesuspicion? SinceSeptember11,2001,Arabs,Muslims,andHispanicshavemostoftenbeenthetargetsofsuspicion eitherduetothebeliefthatallArabsandMuslimsareorcouldbeterroristsORthebeliefthatthe majorityofundocumentedpeopleareofHispanicorigin7.Thisformofreasonablesuspicionresultsin victimizationoftheinnocentwhoarenotinvolvedintrafficking.Thisprofilingalsofailstoactuallyfind andprosecuteindividualsthemselveswhodonotfittheprofileofundocumentedforeigner.
JoanneL.TostiVasey,Ph.D.5
PennsylvaniaNOW,Inc. UnitedStates(withminorexceptionsforchildrenofforeigndiplomatsandinvadingforces)arecitizens. SinceitistheUSandnotstatesthatgrantcitizenship,Pennsylvaniacannotdenybenefitstocitizens, eveniftheyhaveundocumentedparents. The14thAmendmentisacornerstoneofthemovementforcivilrightsforall(itispartiallythebasisfor thePennsylvaniaHumanRelationsActinadditiontotheCivilRightsActof1964,theAmericanwith DisabilitiesActof1992,etc.)andithasplayedacriticalroleinourcountrysculturaldiversity. Limitingthescopeofthe14thamendmentbydenyingcitizenshipasdefinedinHB857willactuallymake thingsworsebyincreasingthenumberofundocumentedimmigrantsandwillcreatesignificant bureaucraticandfinancialburdensforallAmericans.ApanelattheCenterforAmericanProgress listedtheseburdensiftheCitizenshipClausewererevokedatthefederallevelorignoredvialegislation atthestatelevel.Theystated8that: 1. Alarge,newandexpensivefederalbureaucracy[wouldbeneeded]toinvestigatethe citizenshipstatusofparentsbeforebirthcertificatescouldbeissuedtotheirnewbornchildren. Sincebirthcertificatesareissuedbystates,Pennsylvaniawouldhavetogreatlyincreasefunding fortheDepartmentofHealthtoworkwiththefederalgovernmenttoensurethatatleastone parentisaUSCitizenbeforeissuingthebirthcertificate. 2. ThedepartmentsofStateandHomelandSecuritywhichroutinelychargefeesforimmigrant visasandrelatedservicescouldchargeparentsupto$600toverifythelegalstatusofeachbirth. Andtheverificationprocessitselfcouldalsotakeweeks,monthsorevenyears.Thislongdelay andhighcosttolowincomeindividualscouldjeopardizethelivesofthesechildren/adultsdueto thedelayinverification;and 3. RepealingorlimitingthescopeoftheCitizenshipClausewouldblurthelinebetweenwhoisa citizenandwhoisnot,creatingaU.S.castesystemthatwouldforeverrelegatethosedeemedto beoflesserstatusfromfullyparticipatingandcontributingtoournation.
PennsylvaniaNOW,Inc. humantrafficking.AccordingtothePolarisProject,VictimsofhumantraffickingintheUnitedStates includeU.S.citizensorforeignnationals,adultsorminors,andmenorwomen.Foreignbornvictimsin theU.S.maybeeitherdocumentedorundocumented.9 Thisbillmakestwoassumptionsabouthumantrafficking.Thefirstfalseassumptionisthathuman traffickingisanotherwordforhumansmuggling.Infact,theyaretwoseparatefederalcrimes. Smugglingrequiresillegalbordercrossing.Humantraffickingisacrimeagainstapersonwhohasbeen inducedorforcedintocommercialsexactsorlaborwhetherornottransportationisinvolved.The secondfalseassumptionisthatforeignnationaltraffickingvictimsarealwaysundocumentedandare hereinthiscountryillegally.ForeignnationalscanbehereintheUnitedStateseitherlegallyorillegally. Asignificantpercentageoftraffickedvictims,accordingtothePolarisProject,areherelegallyandare documented.ToquotethePolarisProject,Humantraffickingencompassesbothtransnational traffickingthatcrossesbordersanddomesticorinternaltraffickingthatoccurswithinacountry.10 Thestatisticsonhumantraffickingarescare,particularlyfordomestictrafficking.Andwhatstatistics areavailableareoftencontradictoryduetothecovertnatureofthecrime,theveryhighlevelsof underreporting,theinvisibilityofvictims,inconsistentdefinitions(includingassumptionsthat traffickingisonlyaninternationalissue),andthelackofdatacollectionandresearchonthisissue, particularlyfordomesticadulttrafficking.Ofthestatisticsavailable,53percentofadultvictimsand66 percentofchildvictimsoftraffickingarefemale.Anditisestimatedthatbetween100,000and300,000 childrenfromwithinthebordersoftheUSarevictimsofprostitution.11 Thesestatisticsindicatethatfocusingonhumantraffickingbycreatingalawthatallowspoliceofficersto stopanyvehicledrivenbysomeonetheythinkmightbetransportingundocumentedworkersdoesnot reallydealwiththeterribleproblemofhumantrafficking.Ratheritisanothercivilrightsviolation throughtheuseofracialprofiling. Whatdeterminesreasonablesuspicion?SinceSeptember11,2001,Arabs,Muslims,andHispanics havemostoftenbeenthetargetsofsuspicioneitherduetothebeliefthatallArabsandMuslimsareor PolarisProject(nodate).HumanTrafficking.RetrievedAugust22,2011from http://www.polarisproject.org/humantrafficking/overview. 10PolarisProject(nodate).CommonmythsandmisconceptionsabouthumantraffickingintheUS. RetrievedAugust22,2011from https://na4.salesforce.com/sfc/play/index.jsp?oid=00D300000006E4S&v=06860000000Hqhh&d=0i1GKP5P Vjb5g7wWmouadOJ20Kk%3D&viewId=05H60000000IwPe. 11PolarisProject(2011).Humantraffickingstatistics.RetrievedAugust22,2011from https://na4.salesforce.com/sfc/play/index.jsp?oid=00D300000006E4S&v=06860000000HqhN&d=0i1GKP5P Vjb5g7wWmouadOJ20Kk%3D&viewId=05H60000000IwPe.
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JoanneL.TostiVasey,Ph.D.7
PennsylvaniaNOW,Inc. couldbeterroristsORthebeliefthatthemajorityofundocumentedpeopleareofHispanicorigin12.This formofreasonablesuspicionresultsinvictimizationoftheinnocentwhoarenotinvolvedin trafficking.Thisprofilingalsofailstoactuallyfindandprosecutetraffickerswhodonotfittheprofileof undocumentedforeigner. Thecurrentstatelawonhumantraffickingcombinedwiththefederallawswillnotbeimprovedbythis bill.Althoughitmightcatchsometraffickers,itwillharmotherswhoareinnocentofthiscrimeandwill notdealatallwithdomestictrafficking. Puttingfurtheremphasisonenforcingthecurrentlaw18Pa.C.S.(StatuteonTraffickingofHuman BeingsaswellaspassingtwootherbillsbeforetheGeneralAssemblywouldimprovethelivesof victimsofhumantrafficking.WeurgeyoutopassHB235.ItmandatesthepostingoftheNational HumanTraffickingResourceCenterhotline,inkeylocationsthroughoutthestatetoprovideassistance, tipreportingandtrainingonhumantraffickingtovictims,communitymembers&lawenforcement.We alsoencourageyoutohavetheSenateconsiderandpassSB885andsendittoyouforconsiderationand passage.ThisbillamendsSection3002(a)of18Pa.C.S.toallowprostitutionconvictionstobevacatedif thewoman(orman)canshowthatthearrestoccurredwhilebeingavictimofsextrafficking.Bothof thesebillswouldgivepoliceaccesstoinformationaboutrealhumantraffickersratherthanhavingthem relyoninaccurateandillegalracialprofiling. Thankyoufortakingtimetolistentoourconcernsonthesebills.Welookforwardtoyourresponseto ourconcerns.
Sincerely,