Pay Up Bonilla: Your $50,000 Infraction

by: Matt Glazer

Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 09:43 AM CST

Amber Moon stated clearly:

Despite being investigated by the U.S. Justice Department for employing an illegal immigrant, Bonilla continues to give employers who hire them a free pass. Voters in Congressional District 23 deserve a Congressman who stands up for the best interest of Texas families, not a Representative who skirts the law. Henry Bonilla owes it to his constituents to explain why he is talking out of both sides of his mouth.  While he says he's tough on immigration, he votes to let employers, like himself, who seek cheap and illegal labor off the hook.

Why Amber, whatever could you mean? (Beware, all materials below the fold are wonky in nature and may be dangerous for children)

Remember the massive rallies and protests around March of this year? That's the bill that Bonilla supported.

Bonilla Voted Against Increased Fines for Businesses that Hire Illegal Immigrants. In 2005, Bonilla voted against an amendment to HR 4437 that increased the fines on businesses for knowingly hiring unauthorized aliens to $50,000 and providing that proceeds be shared with state and local governments to help cover the costs associated with providing services to undocumented immigrants. The original bill had a graduated system of fines starting at $5,000. The amendment would eliminate the graduated system and create a simple $50,000 penalty for each infraction. The House rejected the amendment 87-332. [HR 4437, Vote #658, 12/16/05]

In the spirit of the debate, Bonilla should $50,000 to any charity in his district he wants. If that doesn't seem fair, what about this amendment?

Bonilla Voted to Protect Employers Who Hire Illegal Immigrants. The vote was for an amendment to HR 4437 that set caps on the monetary penalties imposed on businesses for hiring or employing unauthorized aliens at $7,500 for the first offense, $15,000 for the second offense, and $40,000 for all subsequent offenses. The original bill only set minimums for the fines. This amendment kept the minimums the same, but also set maximums, meaning that it limited the fine imposed on businesses that employ illegal immigrants. Besides setting a cap on the fines, the amendment also provides an exemption for first time violators if they acted in "good faith." It also provides a "safe-harbor" for contractors if they hire a sub-contractor who, without the primary contractor's knowledge, hires an illegal immigrant. The House adopted the amendment 247-170. [HR 4437, Vote #657, 12/16/05]

The only reason Bonilla was not tried and convicted was because the statute of limitations had expired. It is time for Bonilla to make amends for his illegal actions and suffer the penalty.

For someone who claims to be tough on immigration, he sure is lax on the people who hire immigrants.  He wants to build a wall to keep them out, but he has no problem with his special interest friends hiring immigrants for cheap labor.