A Supreme Court decision this week upheld a lower Federal court ruling that allows local governments to pass ordinances requiring verification to keep illegal aliens out of jobs and out of apartments, if written like the two in Fremont, Nebraska. (Read more here.)
"The Supreme Court let stand an emphatic decision in the Eighth Circuit that rejected every argument on the merits that the ACLU and MALDEF threw at the Ordinance," attorney Kris Kobach said. "The Ordinance requires all businesses in the city to use E-Verify and it requires all tenants to obtain an occupancy license. In cases where the tenant is not a US citizen, the city then checks the aliens immigration status with the federal government, and if the alien is unlawfully present, revokes the license."
The decision allows any state and/or local municipality to take a few immigration enforcement actions on their own, despite the federal government's lack of enforcement. The Obama administration can halt nearly all deportations, but states, counties, and towns can protect their unemployed and underemployed residents by requiring businesses to only hire legal workers and blocking their ability to rent a house or apartment.
FIRST HURDLE CLEARED IN BLOCKING MILITARY AMNESTY, BUT MORE TO COME
The National Defense Authorization Act of 2015 was passed by the House Armed Services Committee without any amendments that would have granted amnesty to certain illegal aliens. But, the fight simply moves now to a different venue.
The Committee's markup wasn't void of some drama, though. The Ranking Member, Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), did offer Rep. Jeff Denham's (R-Calif.) ENLIST Act as an amendment, but withdrew it after not taking the required steps to offer such a significant amendment.
Within the next few weeks, House Leaders will bring the bill before the entire House, but not before going through the Rules Committee, which will establish the rules for debate. The Committee can pass a closed rule (no amendments can be offered), a restricted rule (only certain amendments can be offered), or an open or modified-open rule (any amendment can be offered - with a few requirements if it's modified).
The best case scenario would be for a closed rule, but if last year is any indication, it'll be a modified-open rule. That's why we've already asked our activists who have Congressmen on the Rules Committee to send faxes, urging its Members not to allow a vote on the ENLIST Act or Rep. Mike Coffman's (R-Colo.) Military Enlistment Act. Both bills would grant amnesty to illegal aliens who enlist in the military.
Anticipating an open rule, we've already posted faxes on your Action Board asking all House Members to oppose any amnesty amendment to the NDAA. The bill is opposed by the nation's largest veterans group, the American Legion, and, this week, a group of 16 former military officerssigned a letter in opposition to the bill. Read the full letter here.
Be on the lookout for further actions.
| CHRIS CHMIELENSKI |
| FRI, MAY 9th |
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