Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels really ought to take a stand on a pair of bills moving through the Indiana General Assembly.
The first would require police officers to enforce federal immigration laws.
The second would restrict state communications in languages other than English.
Senate Bill 590 was approved last week by a Senate committee. Its sponsor says the bill would bring an Arizona-style crackdown on illegal immigration.
Supporters say the legislation is needed because the federal government has failed to enforce immigration laws, leaving states to spend millions of dollars on providing health care, education and other services for illegal immigrants.
Opponents fear it could lead to racial profiling and give the state a reputation of intolerance.
House Bill 1255, which has already passed the Indiana House, seems intended to bar the state from publishing materials in languages other than English, but the fact is that the bill makes exemptions for materials that would promote public safety and health, economic development, bilingual education and voting.
Daniels’ office acknowledges that the governor might actually sign the bill, but it says the restrictions would have little practical effect. In an editorial, The Indianapolis Star described the measure as a solution in search of a problem.
Opponents, though, see the measure undermining the state’s efforts to sell itself as an international tourist destination and a place that welcomes foreign investment.
Meanwhile, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, Indiana Farm Bureau, the state attorney general’s office and Indiana university presidents and religious leaders have joined in a coalition to fight the immigration measure. They fear such a law would hurt the state’s image and damage its economy.
Such legislation certainly hasn’t helped the Arizona economy. A research firm determined last fall that the law had cost that state more than $140 million in convention business during the first seven months it was on the books.
Is this really a good time for Indiana to be driving away convention business?
Do we really want to send foreign investors the message that English is the only language welcome here?
This is a time where Daniels can show leadership. He can point out that the federal government should be doing more to enforce immigration laws, but he can also point out that Indiana should not repeat the mistakes of Arizona.
Indiana lawmakers should reject both of these measures, and if they pass, the governor should veto them.
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