KY Senate President proposes controversial immigration law

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KY Senate President proposes controversial immigration law
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) -- The immigration debate is coming to Kentucky and Senate President David Williams is using Arizona’s law as his model.
Proponents of Senate Bill 6 believe immigration law enforcement needs to fall on states shoulders, indicating the federal government is failing to do so.
Opponents believe such measures could cause harassment and violate constitutional rights, while also possibly impacting several industries that rely on migrant workers.
The polarizing subject of immigration reform has stirred nationwide debate, and even here in Kentuckiana opponents of such laws have stated their opinions.
Those same rally cries may soon be heard again after Kentucky Senate President David Williams proposed an immigration reform proposal similar to the Arizona law. A key point of the proposed law would require local law enforcement to check on immigration status while enforcing other laws.
For a local business owner Ben Ruiz who formerly chaired Louisville's Hispanic and Latino Coalition, it's a scary proposition.
"They're picking on what they feel is the weakest, least protected part of our society which is unfortunate for me because I'm Mexican-American," Ben Ruiz said.
Ruiz, who became an American citizen in 2006, says he has met Williams and envisioned him being a help to minority relations in the state. He worries Williams campaign to become Governor may be a reason for this proposal.
"I think he's probably riding the wave of the swing to the right we're seeing as far as getting support emerge here in our state," Ruiz said.
Immigration discussion is not new to the state. Back in October, U.S. Secretary for Homeland Security Janet Napolitano was in Louisville where she discussed how national efforts to screen inmates are targeting illegal immigrants.
"This is the major tool we are using to focus our deportation numbers on removing from this country not only those who are here illegally, but have also committed other crimes," Napolitano said.
Ben Ruiz has his own ideas on handling immigration. He worries the current proposals lack the fundamentals of what this country was founded on.
"I think the immigrants are a blessing to us. I think it's strange that we're all the sudden trying to get rid of them, we're deporting more than ever,” Ruiz said.
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