01.22.08
Georgetown City Council To Consider Immigration Ordinance Tonight
It appears on tonight’s City Council Agenda under the Legislative Regular Agenda:
Consideration and possible action regarding inclusion of provisions addressing lawful employment in City bids and contracts — Paul Brandenburg, City Manager
Best I can tell the ordinance has been significantly softened, as to make it almost no different from the current system under which the city operates. From KLBJ-AM, Georgetown City Council to Consider “Legal Employee” Ordinance.
According to the proposal, a clause in future city contracts would include the following statement. “No contract shall be awarded unless bidder/respondent submits with its bid, proposal, or statement of qualifications a certification that the bidder/respondent is in compliance with the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C.A. § 1324a] relating to the hiring of unauthorized aliens.” City contractors that were found to be in violation of the clause could be deemed in breach of contract with the City.
This ordinance is asking all city contractors to certify their employees are legal to work in the US. Then, as with any law, the issue becomes what will the city do to enforce this new ordinance? How much time, money an effort is the Georgetown going to put in checking on it’s contractors employees to make sure they are all in the country legally, and continue to hire only legal employees throughout the life of the contract? Surely there are many more questions. The fun starts at 6:00 pm.
We’ll have to see if any protesters show up to put thought processes forward and how they’re treated.