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Senator aims to quell illegal immigration
By Staff reports
State Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell is leading an effort to amend the U.S. Constitution to give states unprecedented authority to control illegal immigrants living within their borders.
McConnell, R-Charleston, is calling upon the S.C. General Assembly to approve a resolution calling for a constitutional convention, a measure that would require approval from two-thirds of the legislatures in states across the country.
The Constitution has been amended 27 times since it was ratified in 1788, but never has a convention been held by anyone other than the country’s founding fathers; all other amendments have been approved by Congress and passed by three-fourths of the states.
John Hazzard, McConnell’s chief of staff, said the senator is serious about the effort, not just out to garner attention by pitching an admittedly extreme approach to dealing with the issue of illegal immigration.
Phil Lenski, staff attorney for the state Senate Judiciary Committee, said states can currently hold individuals suspected of living here illegally for only a short amount of time. Federal authorities alone have the ability to arrest, detain and export illegal immigrants, Lenski said.
The frustration is that federal authorities often do show up and local law enforcement officials have no choice but to let illegal immigrants go free, he said.
States across the country are passing laws regarding immigration as Congress has failed to agree on a comprehensive proposal to deal with enforcing America’s borders, as well as the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants already living here. Critics argue that a patchwork of laws will only confuse the process and may be unconstitutional anyway as immigration is the federal government’s domain.
In the meantime, a study group formed by the Senate Judiciary Committee is holding hearings across the state to address the legislation and McConnell’s constitutional convention.
Locally, there will be a meeting at 6 p.m. Oct. 23 at the Trident Technical College in North Charleston.
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