A new poll shows 76.7% of Hoosiers in NW Indiana want state law enforcement officers to verify citizenship as part of their investigation of wrong doing.  This is a key component of SB 590.

An even greater number, 83.9% favor revoking the business licenses of employers who knowingly and repeatedly break the law by hiring illegal aliens.  (This part of SB 590 has been watered down by amendment.) 

Read the article about the poll here.

After retired INS agent, Mike Cutler testified about the nexus between illegal immigration and terrorism, immigration lawyer, Angela Adams, testified that the 9/11 attackers were not illegal aliens.  She should know that people are here illegally whenever they violate the terms of their visa or use fraud to obtain that visa. Some 40% of illegal aliens are "visa overstays" who initially entered the USA as students or tourists but became illegal aliens when they decided to live/work here without permission. Five of the 9/11 hijackers had clear immigration violations according to the 9/11 Commission Report.  Click for more details and a link to the 9/11 Report.

A representative of the Indiana Bankers Association stated that the ITIN is a valid way to prove one's true identity.  This is not true.  Back in 2003 when Mark W. Everson was Commissioner of the IRS, he sent a warning letter to all 50 Governors and Motor Vehicle Departments warning them NOT to accept the ITIN as proof of identity.  The link to the IRS statement about the ITIN can be found on the IFIRE forum.  

Someone who testified against SB590 worried that American sign language would be prohibited if Indiana conducts official business in English only.  It's unfortunate that more people don't know what the law says. They need not worry because the Indiana Code already recognizes American sign language. 

Jodie Woods from IACT and Chief Branson from Goshen called SB590 an "unfunded mandate."  I do not understand how they think it will cost more money to stop translating and printing government documents into multiple languages.  Illegal immigration is the real unfunded mandate!  To get a better appreciation for this, read this article about Arizona Gov. Brewer counter-suing the Feds for failing to enforce immigration laws.  The Feds have reimbursed Arizona $10 million but left the state to eat the remaining $125 million in costs.   

The Appropriations Committee is scheduled to hear SB590 on Thursday, February 17, 2011.

...these facts about illegal immigration?  Use this info in your emails to legislators:

Illegal Immigration costs Indiana $608 million

Foreign-born gain jobs, native-born lose

8.3 million illegals hold jobs in USA

305,000+ unemployed Hoosiers

Map 1. shows 100-200,000 illegals in Indiana