By Todd Hatton
Paducah, KY – Western Kentucky's state house and senate legislators are divided over how to deal with illegal immigrants. The Senate's proposal allows police to arrest illegal immigrants for trespassing, while the House's bill requires a citizenship check of prospective employees. According to the Paducah Sun, Independent Paducah Senator Bob Leeper supports the Senate version, saying it would give police jurisdiction to act on current statutes, while the House version could create too much business liability. Mayfield Democratic Representative Fred Nesler argues the House bill would be more effective and says the Senate measure would put extra strain on local law enforcement. Democratic Representative Mike Cherry of Princeton says he sees two problems with the Senate version, litigation and cost. It is estimated that some 30 thousand illegal immigrants live in the state.