My Town Takes on Illegal Immigration

I'm glad to see the elected leadership in my city have decided to take on the issue of illegal alien labor:

Mission Viejo has joined the national immigration debate, adopting an ordinance requiring its employees and contractors to participate in a federal program meant to weed out unauthorized workers.

"We will be setting an example for all those in the community," said Mayor Pro Tem John Paul Ledesma, who put the ordinance on the agenda. The council unanimously approved the measure on its first reading on Monday. If it's approved on a second reading, it will go into effect July 1.

The city's decision would require participation in the Department of Homeland Security's Basic Pilot Program, which is free and Internet-based. It requires verification that city employees and those contracted with the city are legally authorized to work in the United States.

Ledesma said he introduced the ordinance after a resident approached him about illegal workers in the city. In February, he introduced a no-trespassing ordinance as a response to an influx of day laborers in the city.

"It is our responsibility to show we believe in the rule of law and respect," said Ledesma. "We should do as much as we can on the City Council level."

Good job, councilman! That's the kind of action I was hoping for when I voted for you last November. Of course, there are detractors:

Mission Viejo's ordinance drew criticism from advocates for undocumented immigrants.

"It's an anti-immigrant ordinance and it's anti-business as well," said Ana Maria Patino, an attorney and Latina activist who lives in Laguna Beach. "(Undocumented workers) are not going to work for these contractors and if they're the kind of business that relies on a lot of undocumented workers because they can't get other people to do those jobs, they will lose business."

Hey, Laguna Beach is the land of fruits and nuts so if you want to promote illegal alien labor in your city, go ahead, but you have no business telling Mission Viejo residents they have to put up with it. And then there's this:

Catholic Auxiliary Bishop Jaime Soto, an advocate for undocumented immigrants, said in a statement that Mission Viejo's action just "further confirms the need for a comprehensive immigration reform.

"This is a punitive measure that will do little to diminish the undocumented population," Soto said.

Yeah, but I bet it diminishes the illegal alien population in Mission Viejo.