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Bill would ban state from entering into federal housing agreements for illegal immigrants
TIFFANY L. PARKS
Special to Legal News
Published: September 2, 2014
State Rep. John Adams, R-Sidney, has introduced a bill into the Ohio General Assembly designed to target the “illegal immigration crisis.”
House Bill 605 would prohibit state agencies from signing an agreement with the federal government to provide temporary housing for aliens who are not legally present in the United States.
The measure also would make local governments and corporations ineligible to receive state funds, including from the Local Government Fund, if they choose to enter into such an agreement with the federal government.
The bill includes institutions of higher education in its definition of “state agency.”
Rep. Wes Retherford, R-Hamilton, has joined Adams as a joint sponsor of the proposed legislation. In a recent statement, Adams said HB 605 is about communication between governments and transparency.
“Every day, those crossing our southern border illegally include gang members, individuals from countries like Yemen and Pakistan and those with highly-contagious diseases such as tuberculosis,” he said.
“The federal government needs to communicate with Ohio about the extent of the precautions they are taking with regard to public health and safety.”
Adams said new reports have indicated that 360 illegal immigrants have arrived in Ohio.
“... we know nothing about whether they might be gang members or what health screenings they have received,” he said.
With a recent surge in illegal immigration, the lawmaker said states are facing unprecedented demands on public health and safety resources.
Adams pointed to information from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that found 63 percent of reported tuberculosis cases in the U.S. occurred among foreign-born individuals.
He also noted that officials at a border patrol post in Arizona indicated that 16 of the “so-called unaccompanied minors” detained in their sector were members of a gang.
If the measure is enacted, a political subdivision or corporation in violation of the bill would be prohibited from receiving state funds from any source for the duration of the federal agreement.
HB 605 is co-sponsored by Republican Reps. Peter Beck, John Becker, Jim Buchy, Ron Hood, Matt Lynch and Ron Maag.
The bill is awaiting a committee assignment.
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