BOISE, ID – Idaho legislators are working to combine two immigration-related bills this legislative session.
On Friday, the Idaho Senate State Affairs Committee voted to send House Bill 83 to the 14th order, which means it will receive amendments before a full Senate vote.
The bill, which already passed the Idaho House in a 61-9 vote, would allow law enforcement to record a person’s documentation status only if they are already detained or under investigation for a crime. If an individual involved in a crime is found to be living in Idaho without legal authorization, they would face a misdemeanor charge for “illegal entry.” A second offense would result in a felony charge, and a conviction would lead to deportation.
Bill sponsor Sen. Todd Lakey, R-Nampa, said he is working to combine the bill with Senate Bill 1039, sponsored by Senate Pro Tem Kelly Anthon, R-Burley.
Introduced in late January, Senate Bill 1039 would ban immigration sanctuaries in Idaho, criminalize the presence of “dangerous illegal aliens,” and prohibit their transportation into the state. It would also require law enforcement to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.
Lakey said combining the two bills would align Idaho law enforcement efforts with federal immigration enforcement, rather than treating deportation as a separate state action.
Idaho legislators respond to concerns about racial profiling against Hispanic community
Rudy Rodriguez, a retired policeman from Burley, testified in opposition to the legislation. He said his main concern is racial profiling.
“I’m sure that you guys haven’t been stopped and asked for your papers and asked where you come from, but let me tell you about my history,” he said, and proceeded to share a story of when his fifth-grade teacher asked all the Hispanic and Native American kids to go outside to get checked for lice, leaving the white students inside.
“The other day, I was in a restaurant and a gentleman in front of me told me, ‘you better enjoy your time here in Idaho, because they’re going to deport you.’” Rodriguez said. “I’m a U.S. citizen.”
In response to testimony, Anthon said he is proud to represent one of Idaho’s most Hispanic districts and he loves his city, which according to the U.S. Census Bureau is 38% Hispanic.
“If there is ever an instance in the state of Idaho where someone is discriminated against because of their ethnicity or their background, to hell with them!” Anthon said. “It’s wrong, and it has no place in the state of Idaho, and I condemn it. But it has not changed the fact that we have a problem on our southern border, we’ve got to do something about it.”
Anthon said the legislation is focused on preventing unauthorized immigrants with a criminal history from coming into Idaho, not individuals who commit infractions like a speeding ticket.
“I will continue to fight for that and I will continue to fight for my friends who are Hispanic in this state to make sure they are not discriminated against, and the two can be together,” Anthon said.
The committee voted along party lines to advance the bill, with Sen. James Ruchti, D-Pocatello, being the only opposing vote.
“We’re the ones who invite undocumented workers to come over and help us fill job requirements that Americans won’t do, and to pretend otherwise is insulting to ourselves, and it’s insulting to those hard working Hispanic families that come over here and integrate themselves into our communities,” Ruchti told the committee.
Ruchti said he would prefer unauthorized immigrants who do commit crimes to leave, but overall, he said immigrant families contribute to Idaho communities.
“They make them better places to live,” Ruchti said. “Our kids go to school with them. They grow up with them. They enjoy friendships with them. So, yeah, I am insulted by the bill. I’ll be voting no.”
