Three cheers for Judge Nadel

Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 1:25 pm

Here is a story from today's Enquirer :

Local news

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Judge wants Ohio law against hiring illegals
BY KIMBALL PERRY | KPERRY@ENQUIRER.COM

A Hamilton County judge is asking Ohio lawmakers to adopt a law that punishes those who knowingly hire illegal immigrants.

"This cracks down on the employers," Judge Norbert Nadel said Wednesday. "If there's no well for them to drink out of, they won't come."

Nadel has nothing against immigrants, but thinks they should be here legally.

The issue was highlighted for Nadel last week when he sent an illegal immigrant, Jose Ortiz, to prison for four years for beating, shaking and throwing to the floor his 4-month-old daughter. The child had facial bruises, brain bleeding and broken legs.

Ortiz needed interpreters in court.

"My experience," the judge added, "is a large majority of them, when they don't speak English, are illegal."

That's resulting in some big dollars coming out of taxpayers' pockets, he added.

Because of the large increase in the number of those arrested who don't speak English - not all of whom are illegal immigrants - Hamilton County has hired six full- and part-time interpreters at an annual cost of more than $250,000.

"We're spending a lot of money that we never spent before," Nadel said.

Nadel also wants the new law to require police departments and courts to track how many contacts they have with illegal immigrants.

But the Rev. Bill Jansen of Su Casa Hispanic Ministries in Carthage scoffs at Nadel's attempt.

"I think it's just part of the whole attempt, which is somewhat political, to squeeze the immigrants," Jansen said.

Nadel seeks a law similar to one enacted by Arizona.

That law punishes employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants by placing the employers on probation, and suspending business licenses until they file documents swearing they won't hire illegal immigrants and agree to fire the workers.

Nadel's comments come as Butler County Sheriff Rick Jones has gained attention for his attempt to deport jailed illegal immigrants.

Jones has sent eight of his officers for training that gives them immigration enforcement powers - generally held only by federal agents - in trying to speed deportation of illegal immigrants jailed in Butler County.

Hopefully the Ohio legislature will do what is needed to stop the flood of ILLEGALS into our communities. [/b]