Politics & Government

City Opposes State on Citizenship Checks

The state passed a law banning enforcement of an ordinance that requires Temecula businesses to ensure their employees are legal residents.

City officials refused to repeal an ordinance today that requires business owners to check their employee's citizenship, despite a state law that makes enforcing it illegal.

The voted unanimously during a meeting at the today against repealing the policy it approved last year.

The policy requires every employer in Temecula to use E-Verify, an online federal service to check citizenship, to check its employees' citizensship.

Find out what's happening in Temeculawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The council also agreed unanimously not to enforce the policy, since the state law does not specifically bar having the policy, it only bars enforcing it.
"(The new law) doesn't say you have to repeal the ordinance," Peter Thorson, the city's attorney, said after the meeting.

The policy got mixed responses from residents and business owners. Some felt the policy would stop illegal immigrants from taking jobs from legal residents. Others felt it would add more red tape for business owners and cause discrimination against Hispanic Americans.

Find out what's happening in Temeculawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

To read about those reactions,

Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill that bans ordinances similar to the one Temecula passed. To read about the new law, .

Councilmember Mike Naggar directed the city's staff to research whether it would be legal to put a warning on all new business licenses that hiring illegal immigrants is a federal offense. The possibility is expected to be discussed during a January meeting, said Susan Jones, the city's clerk.

Council members bemoaned the state's new law.

"Not only are they not enforcing the law, they're precluding us from enforcing the law," said Councilmember Maryann Edwards.

This was similar to the state's recent move to take redevelopment funds away from cities because it took power from small governments and gave it to the state government, Comerchero said.

To read about the state's move to take the funds from the city, .

"What are they going to take from us next? This is very disturbing," Councilmember Jeff Comerchero said.

A Temecula resident showed up at the meeting to tell the council how he felt about the new law. "They're using it for the Hispanic vote… it's vote-buying, that's all it is," said Wayne Hall, a lifetime Temecula resident.

One council member favored taking the ordinance off the books because it adds unneeded bureaucracy. "I think we create confusion that might impact the business community," said Councilmember Chuck Washington. "I don't see what we accomplish by thumbing our noses (at the new law)."


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