"Georgia Immigration" - (Google) News Sweep - 3/29/'06 4:40PM
"Georgia Immigration" - (Google) News Sweep - 3/29/'06 4:40 PM
3/29/'06 - The following article(s) were found in the media. Several stories are provided ... with links to the original sources ... for your convenience:
- Bush Flies To Mexico; Guest Workers On Agenda (WSBTV)
- Congressional Debate Gives Faces to Illegal Immigrants (FOX News)
- Chambliss to introduce poultry-friendly amendment (AP - Access North Georgia)
- Power in numbers (Creative Loafing Atlanta)
- The immigration inferno (Walton Tribune)
- Cross purposes of immigration reform (Macon Telegraph)
- House approves immigration bill (Morris New Service - Augusta Chronicle)
- Shipp: Taxpayers betrayed by all politicians on immigration issue (Online Athens)
- Hispanics Unite Against Changes (WXIA)
- One-Man Immigration Crime Fighter (WXIA)
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http://www.wsbtv.com/politics/8339809/detail.html
Bush Flies To Mexico; Guest Workers On Agenda
As they do, each is relating their constituents' concerns while also learning more about who immigrants are.
Sen. Lindsey Graham hears about illegal immigration whenever he travels his home state of South Carolina. And for good reason.
South Carolina, a state with historically few illegal immigrants, saw a 1,000 percent increase in their numbers from 1990 to 2004.
"Are we going to run this work force off?" asks the Republican lawmaker, quoting constituents. "And what are you going to do about broken borders?"
With 55,000 undocumented residents, South Carolina ranks far behind the nation's leader, California. But the issue is boiling throughout the country as illegal immigrants make their way to more cities and states than ever.
The Senate is debating legislation this week that would tighten border security while enabling illegal immigrants to eventually become citizens.
The Pew Hispanic Center, a research organization in Washington, estimates there are as many as 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States, though researchers acknowledge they are difficult to count. Other organizations have put the number at 11 million, but all agree the total is rising quickly.
Illegal immigrants are more likely than American citizens to hold jobs but less likely to have high school diplomas. They tend to be younger, and many have children who were born in the U.S., making the kids citizens.
Less than half fit the profile of young men sneaking across the border to find jobs and send money back home to their families. Today, most bring their families with them, according to an analysis by the Pew center.
"There's about 6.5 million adults who are in families, either couples or couples with children, and there's another 2 million children," said Jeffrey Passel, a senior research associate at the center. "The vast majority of this population is families."
In 1990, almost half lived in California, the Pew analysis said. By 2004, California's share had dropped to about a quarter, even though the state's illegal population had grown from 1.48 million to about 2.45 million.
They are moving to states like North Carolina, Iowa, Ohio and Georgia as they seek jobs and establish communities. North Carolina has nearly 16 times the number of illegal immigrants it had in 1990, the Pew analysis said. The state had 390,000 in 2004, the most recent state numbers available.
About a quarter of them arrive in the United States legally and simply overstay their visas, Passel said.
"We have about 30 million people per year come here on temporary visas, either tourists or visitors for business," he said. "With 30 million folks coming here a year, a very small percent who stay adds up over the years."
Members of the Georgia congressional delegation said that reforming immigration policies would provide better border security and ensure a pool of workers for jobs that many no longer wish to do.
"The people of Georgia want our borders secured. I think those who depend on labor want a system where they can get labor without violating the law," said Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga.
"This issue is the most emotional, most sensitive, most politically charged issue I've seen during my 12 years in Congress," said Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga.
Adult men make up the largest share of illegal immigrants, followed by adult women and then children.
Many families include relatives of differing immigration status. Nearly two-thirds of the children were born in the United States.
Illegal workers make up about 5 percent of the U.S. labor force. More than nine in 10 males illegally here are in that labor force, compared with 83 percent of men born in the United States.
Illegal immigrants tend to be younger than American workers, which helps explain why they are more likely to hold jobs, researchers said.
Female illegal immigrants, however, were less likely to work than their American counterparts, perhaps because most have young children, the Pew analysis said.
Illegal immigrants are concentrated in construction, agriculture and cleaning jobs. They make up 36 percent of all insulation workers, 29 percent of agricultural workers and 29 percent of roofers.
The Center for Immigration Studies, which advocates restricting immigration, recently issued a report saying that immigrants compete for jobs with less-educated Americans, especially high-school dropouts.
About half of adult illegal immigrants have not graduated high school, the Pew analysis found.
About a third have less than a ninth-grade education.
About a quarter of illegal immigrants have at least some college education, with 15 percent holding at least a bachelor's degree.
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http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,189517,00.html
Congressional Debate Gives Faces to Illegal Immigrants
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
WASHINGTON — Sen. Lindsey Graham hears about illegal immigration whenever he travels his home state of South Carolina. And for good reason.
South Carolina, a state with historically few illegal immigrants, saw a 1,000 percent increase in their numbers from 1990 to 2004.
"Are we going to run this work force off?" asks the Republican lawmaker, quoting constituents. "And what are you going to do about broken borders?"
With 55,000 undocumented residents, South Carolina ranks far behind the nation's leader, California. But the issue is boiling throughout the country as illegal immigrants make their way to more cities and states than ever.
The Senate is debating legislation this week that would tighten border security while enabling illegal immigrants to eventually become citizens.
The Pew Hispanic Center, a research organization in Washington, estimates there are as many as 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States, though researchers acknowledge they are difficult to count. Other organizations have put the number at 11 million, but all agree the total is rising quickly.
Illegal immigrants are more likely than American citizens to hold jobs but less likely to have high school diplomas. They tend to be younger, and many have children who were born in the U.S., making the kids citizens.
Less than half fit the profile of young men sneaking across the border to find jobs and send money back home to their families. Today, most bring their families with them, according to an analysis by the Pew center.
"There's about 6.5 million adults who are in families, either couples or couples with children, and there's another 2 million children," said Jeffrey Passel, a senior research associate at the center. "The vast majority of this population is families."
In 1990, almost half lived in California, the Pew analysis said. By 2004, California's share had dropped to about a quarter, even though the state's illegal population had grown from 1.48 million to about 2.45 million.
They are moving to states like North Carolina, Iowa, Ohio and Georgia as they seek jobs and establish communities. North Carolina has nearly 16 times the number of illegal immigrants it had in 1990, the Pew analysis said. The state had 390,000 in 2004, the most recent state numbers available.
About a quarter of them arrive in the United States legally and simply overstay their visas, Passel said.
"We have about 30 million people per year come here on temporary visas, either tourists or visitors for business," he said. "With 30 million folks coming here a year, a very small percent who stay adds up over the years."
Members of the Georgia congressional delegation said that reforming immigration policies would provide better border security and ensure a pool of workers for jobs that many no longer wish to do.
"The people of Georgia want our borders secured. I think those who depend on labor want a system where they can get labor without violating the law," said Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga.
"This issue is the most emotional, most sensitive, most politically charged issue I've seen during my 12 years in Congress," said Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga.
Adult men make up the largest share of illegal immigrants, followed by adult women and then children.
Many families include relatives of differing immigration status. Nearly two-thirds of the children were born in the United States.
Illegal workers make up about 5 percent of the U.S. labor force. More than nine in 10 males illegally here are in that labor force, compared with 83 percent of men born in the United States.
Illegal immigrants tend to be younger than American workers, which helps explain why they are more likely to hold jobs, researchers said.
Female illegal immigrants, however, were less likely to work than their American counterparts, perhaps because most have young children, the Pew analysis said.
Illegal immigrants are concentrated in construction, agriculture and cleaning jobs. They make up 36 percent of all insulation workers, 29 percent of agricultural workers and 29 percent of roofers.
The Center for Immigration Studies, which advocates restricting immigration, recently issued a report saying that immigrants compete for jobs with less-educated Americans, especially high-school dropouts.
About half of adult illegal immigrants have not graduated high school, the Pew analysis found. About a third have less than a ninth-grade education.
About a quarter of illegal immigrants have at least some college, with 15 percent holding at least a bachelor's degree.
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http://www.accessnorthga.com/news/hall/newfullstory.asp?ID=102425
Posted Wednesday, March 29 at 11:19 AM
Chambliss to introduce poultry-friendly amendmentby The Associated Press
WASHINGTON - Georgia Senator Saxby Chambliss pledges to introduce an amendment to federal immigration legislation that would benefit the poultry industry.
His plan would allow farmers to hire immigrants as temporary workers in currently excluded categories such as dairy farms or as meat, poultry and seafood processors and packers.
But illegal immigrants in the program would have to return to their home country at some point in the next two years. The time lag was created so farmers would not immediately suffer from a drain of workers.
``I'm mainly trying to have a system that is workable that will create a good pool of workers from which our farmers can choose,'' Chambliss said.
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http://atlanta.creativeloafing.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A54796
Power in numbers
A statewide Hispanic boycott crippled Georgia's economy for a day. What's next?
Published 03.29.06
Josefa Esquea told customers she wouldn't be open Friday. The Dominican Republic immigrant -- who came to New York City in the 1980s and then relocated to Atlanta -- planned on participating in the strike she heard about on a Hispanic radio station. She knew she'd lose business by closing her popular MiPilon restaurant in Duluth, but she wanted to send the Georgia General Assembly a message: The state's economy needs us.
"We're here to invest money and contribute to society," Esquea says. "We work hard and do our jobs and want to be appreciated. We're tired of living in the shadows."
On March 24, more than 80,000 Hispanics didn't buy anything and didn't go to work at construction sites, poultry plants and fast-food restaurants in opposition to Senate Bill 529, a comprehensive proposal that would prohibit illegal immigrants from receiving tax-funded services, and fine employers who hire undocumented workers. On Monday, the state Senate approved the bill. The only way for it to be halted now is if Gov. Sonny Perdue does not sign it into law.
The boycott, which was started by an anonymous flier circulating throughout metro Atlanta, crippled workplaces across the state, says Jerry Gonzalez, executive director of the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials.
"Several McDonalds and a couple landscaping companies had to close today," Gonzalez says. "This hurts Georgia's economy and hopefully will send a message to the governor not to sign this bill."
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the buying power of Hispanics in Georgia totals approximately $11 billion -- about 5 percent of Georgia's entire economy. And a study conducted by the Georgia Budget & Policy Institute shows that illegal immigrants each pay between $2,340 and $2,470 in state and local taxes annually.
"There was an economic impact felt as a result of the boycott," says Tisha Tallman, regional counsel for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. "The community's actions made the issue more palatable, more real to individuals who haven't accepted the Latinos' contribution numbers."
The "Day of Dignity," as its organizers called it, was one of several protests that has generated nationwide attention. Last week, about 30,000 protesters marched in downtown Milwaukee as part of "A Day Without Latinos" to oppose federal legislation that would make undocumented immigrants felons. In Los Angeles, more than a half-million demonstrators marched in support of immigrants' rights, and 300,000 people rallied in Chicago in early March.
The debate weaving through federal and state levels has pitted party members against each other. President Bush has backed a Senate Judiciary Committee's proposal for a comprehensive guest worker program, while other Republicans are calling for a 700-mile fence along the U.S.-Mexican border.
Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., backed away from his party's immigration stance this week by proposing to grant illegal immigrants already here legal status if they help Georgia's farmers bring in a harvest.
On March 17, the day the anonymous flier was distributed, a handful of Hispanic religious leaders, media executives and immigrant advocates met at a restaurant in Smyrna to discuss ways to oppose Georgia's immigration proposals. Naming themselves the March 17 Alliance, the group called for the creation of "unity in favor of defending the immigrant community's human rights."
"We wanted to show the government that the Latino population is very important to the state," says the Rev. Julian Herrera, a spokesman for the Alliance. "We wanted politicians to understand what we do for the economy."
In the early morning hours of March 24, Rolando Santiago, an Alliance organizer, passed by several of Atlanta's Latino-populated communities on Buford Highway. Bus stops were abandoned and construction sites remained empty. More than 100 Hispanic-owned businesses shut down, Santiago says, and several contractors called in to Neal Boortz's popular radio show on WSB-AM (750) to vent about the lack of employees working.
"We contribute much more to society than we're given credit for," Santiago says. "We're not going to stand by and do nothing and act like we don't exist."
In addition to boycotting work, many Hispanic parents kept their children home from school. Hall County Schools spokesman Gordon Higgins says the absentee rate among Hispanic students on March 24 totaled 41 percent. Gwinnett County Schools spokeswoman Sloan Roach says Gwinnett also saw a significant decrease in Latino attendance.
What's more, about 200 students and workers congregated on the steps of the Georgia Capitol to protest immigration reform. They carried signs that read "Don't panic, we're only Hispanic" and "We also have a dream," while shouting "Justice now" and "The people united will never be defeated."
In the early afternoon, state Sen. Sam Zamarripa, D-Atlanta, and Rep. Pedro Marin, D-Duluth, arrived to answer questions and quell fears about SB 529.
"You must not panic," Zamarripa told the crowd. "There are elements to this bill that could change. Don't believe the lies and rumors that are spreading. It's not over yet. We'll keep fighting."
Zamarripa and Marin asked the Latino community to express their concerns and fears in prayer.
Lizabeth Gomez, a Georgia State student, read a letter to the crowd that urged Latinos to call Gov. Sonny Perdue's office and tell him not to sign SB 529. She likened the Hispanics' battle to that of African-Americans'.
"[The government] wants us to contribute to society," Gomez says, "but they're not willing to contribute to our community. We'll fight like the African-Americans did in the 1960s."
The success of March 24 showed the power of the immigrant community -- a notion that will lead to more action, Tallman says. Already, on Sunday, two days after the boycott, the Latin American Association offered a community seminar at Plaza Fiesta on Buford Highway to educate the Latino community about SB 529.
Josh Hopkins, director of resource development for the association, says a large amount of misinformation is spreading throughout the Hispanic community and creating a culture of fear.
"We want to make sure everybody has correct answers about the legislation," Hopkins says. "Our role is to try to communicate to the community, listen to their concerns and stop rumors from spreading."
Herrera, the Alliance spokesman, says his group is planning a march in Atlanta in conjunction with the National Day of Action, April 10. The Alliance is also trying to organize a national boycott several days after the National Day of Action.
Tallman says it won't be the last time the community raises its voice.
"I don't think this is going to be the last of our community coming forward and taking the active part in what will impact their future," Tallman says. "This is just the beginning."
Alejandro Leal contributed reporting for this article.
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http://www.waltontribune.com/story.lasso?ewcd=d105aa6bbb10308b
The immigration inferno
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On Friday, a call for action was placed by Hispanic leaders asking immigrants who could afford to stay home to do so as well as boycotting any purchases on the day.
Early that morning, a local contractor called me and told me about what he had seen locally – and the hit that he took as a result of the action.
"Ninety percent of our construction work has been brought to a standstill," the local business owner said. "My landscaper had 60 employees lay out today. My framer had 18 crews not show up. We are talking about 150 employees right there, and I haven't even been out to the development site yet to see who else did not show up."
If you don't think legislation about the fate of illegal immigrants doesn't impact you, you couldn't be more wrong.
Protesting the sweeping anti-illegal immigration measure gave just a taste of what would happen if such a measure would pass.
The bill that locally was being protested is Senate Bill 529, or the Georgia Security/Immigration Compliance Act, which includes prohibiting adult illegal immigrants from getting many public benefits, financially penalizing private employers who hire workers in the state unlawfully and establishing harsher penalties for human trafficking.
All seems well and dandy on top of the water, but under the surface elected leaders are treading water as fast as they can.
This has been an issue that I have wrestled with personally in defining my own stance on the issue, dating back to the 2000 elections when Pat Buchanan ran where one of the planks of his platform was to build a huge fence along the U.S.-Mexico border.
That was only the second presidential election that I was able to vote in, and the idea grabbed my attention — for a while.
Why should my taxes go toward paying for services for people who have entered into this country illegally? Why is the government not doing more to kick these people out of the country?
But then I remember the principles that this country were founded on.
This country was founded by immigrants (although that argument can be said about any country) who were escaping to what they hoped would be a better life. And that is what these immigrants are doing.
They are looking for a better life, and where else could that be the case than right here in America.
They do the jobs that others shun. They cling to their rich culture and look for a better life for their children.
The problem is not with the immigrants that are here but rather what to do to stem the tide of ones that keep coming.
Some sort of workers program is needed. A fence is probably needed as well. More effective border patrolling is definitely warranted (why not bring some of our soldiers home from across the globe to do this?).
In general, something more needs to be done.
Illegal immigrants have become an integral part of this society. A balance needs to be used in weighing efforts to stem the tide against the role of those that are already here.
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http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/news/opinion/14207811.htm
Cross purposes of immigration reform
"We are making the best of a difficult situation."
- Sen. Arlen Specter, R- Penn.
The difficult situation Sen. Specter was referring to is the haggling over immigration reform on the national stage. The Judiciary Committee Specter chairs passed an immigration bill 12-6. Now it may go to the full Senate as early as next week. The hang up? The bill is very different from the House version.
Lawmakers are caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. On the devil's side are public opinion polls, important information in an election year. In 2002, the Center for Immigration Studies found that "60 percent of the public regards the present level of immigration to be a 'critical threat to the vital interests of the United States...'" In a Dec. 2005 Gallup poll, 65 percent of respondents, disapproved of President George W. Bush's handling of illegal immigration. The president's proposal includes a guest worker program.
On the deep blue sea side, lawmakers were faced with demonstrations in major cities across the country. In Los Angeles the crowd was estimated at 500,000. There were also advocates for various industries lobbying for the committee's more relaxed version of immigration reform sponsored by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass.
The Senate bill, unlike the House version, would not make being here illegally a criminal offense. It also struck the House provision that criminalized giving humanitarian assistance to illegal immigrants. "Temporary workers" would have to wait six years before applying for their green cards, but they would not have to return home before applying for temporary worker status.
Georgia's state Senate, not saddled with national concerns, passed the Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act, 39-16. The act caters more to public sentiment than practical application. In a 2001 Georgia voters poll, conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, 78.6 percent of respondents were either extremely or somewhat concerned about the level of immigration in the state. While SB 529 is being touted as a tough immigration measure, the provisions that apply to private employers, won't take affect until 2008.
Nationally, Republicans and Democrats are trying to curry long-term favor with the fastest growing minority group in the nation. But with fall elections looming, state and federal House lawmakers are more concerned with short-term pandering than actual reform.
No matter what law is eventually passed, the need for immigrant labor will not disappear. Americans are hooked on the low prices for goods and services made possible by immigrant labor - legal and illegal.
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http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/032906/met_6911177.shtml
ATLANTA - A bill that would overhaul the state's approach to illegal immigrants is headed to the governor's office.
The House on Tuesday gave final legislative approval to the Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act, voting 119-49. The Senate voted the day before to approve the final version of the legislation, which had to be worked out by a House-Senate conference committee.
Senate Bill 529 attempts to crack down on illegal immigration by requiring the legal status to be checked for anyone who works on a government-funded project. It also holds business owners responsible by taking away their ability to deduct payroll taxes unless they receive proper documents for workers, and it denies some public benefits for illegal immigrants unless they can prove they are legally living in the state.
Democrats in the House tried to repeat arguments that immigration policy is currently being debated in Congress and should remain a federal issue.
Meanwhile, State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond said Tuesday that the legislation would unintentionally grant a pass to undocumented workers already hired on local and state government projects because the verification process would not start until next year.
"It would not cover immigrant workers presently employed or those hired before July 1, 2007, in effect, providing these workers with state-level amnesty," Mr. Thurmond said in a statement.
Reach Vicky Eckenrode at (404) 681-1701 or vicky.eckenrode@morris.com.
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http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/032906/opinion_20060329027.shtml
Shipp: Taxpayers betrayed by all politicians on immigration issue
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Shipp more Shipp columns www.billshipp.com |
My Czech-born wife Renate spent 26 years in the United States before she decided to become a citizen.
While she was trying to make up her mind, Renate followed precisely the instructions of the Immigration and Naturalization Service. She dutifully registered every year at the post office. She kept her green card up-to-date.
We assumed that if she failed to comply with federal immigration laws, she might be deported. When she decided to become naturalized, she studied diligently the government-recommended texts on civics and history. Renate passed the citizenship test in a breeze and also proved to examiners that she could read, write and speak English. The day of her American naturalization was one of the happiest of our lives. We staged a grand patriotic celebration. There was only one slight flaw: The federal judge presiding over the ceremony fell asleep on the bench.
I should have known then. The federal government didn't give a damn. Illegal, schmilegal - the age of protecting our borders and caring who comes and goes was about over. Citizenship was no longer a big deal. The year was 1982. Ronald Reagan was president.
Now look at us. The country is in crisis mode. Illegal aliens have flooded our Southern and Western states. Not all illegals are unskilled Latinos seeking a better life. Educated Muslim terrorists with Middle East origins roamed the country for months without valid visas and finally attacked us on Sept. 11, 2001, leaving 3,000 dead. The feds knew these suicidal fanatics were among us but didn't have the energy or gumption to round them up. Similar madmen are undoubtedly still at large and waiting for their appointed time.
In Georgia illegal aliens, mostly Mexicans, have overwhelmed health care, education and law enforcement agencies in several locales. We are not financially equipped to host the hordes. Yet big industries (tufted textiles, agriculture, construction, etc.) say they can't endure without them.
Our elected officials have finally awakened. "It's a time for action!" they cry.
After sitting on his hands for six years, even President Bush is stirring. Sen. Johnny Isakson, putting on his stern face, says Congress must move. The state legislature also is trying to get into the immigration act. The General Assembly's approach is to tax and make life generally uncomfortable and inconvenient for illegal Latino laborers.
However, the state stuff is relatively tepid compared to what is really required. Immigration is a federal responsibility in need of careful, international attention. Besides, many of the state lawmakers involved in this "immigration opportunity" are attention-starved second-raters - part of the same bunch supporting more legal gunplay in our public parks and scolding dead New Dealers and a has-been actress.
Politicians must walk gingerly on immigration. Gov. Sonny Perdue, who has farming interests, has emerged as a voice of moderation. Sen. Saxby Chambliss favors granting temporary legal status to some migrant farm workers. The corporate world has little enthusiasm for illegal alien roundups. What's left of our factories and farms needs the low-pay, low-maintenance workers to survive.
Besides, the illegal-alien culture has become entrenched. Tens of thousands demonstrate at the mere mention of trying to close the borders and deporting a few of the millions of their undocumented brethren. They find it an outrage that the federal government is even contemplating enforcing present laws, much less enacting tougher ones.
Spokespersons for the undocumented residents argue that the feds did next to nothing while hungry and ambitious peasants crossed our borders illegally, took low-paying jobs, bore children (American citizens when they took their first breath) and established communities.
Advocates for illegal workers say it's a little late to start undoing that tangle now. They fear that federal and state governments are about to harm their lawbreaking clients and constituents.
Let's face it, friends. It doesn't matter what the federal and state governments attempt at this late date. The real wronged parties in this mess are you and I - law-abiding, taxpaying citizens who believed our government would at least protect the integrity of our borders and fend off invasion of any kind. We have been betrayed.
Just as the feds let slide the New Orleans' levees, they yawned at illegal immigration. Now it may be too late to repair either problem.
• Bill Shipp can be reached at shipp1@bellsouth.net.
Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on 032906
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http://www.11alive.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=77950
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Like most in the state's Hispanic community, Jose Cruz knows a lot about Georgia's tough new immigration bill. He is not an illegal alien, but he was when his family first came to this country.
"She came with what we call the coyote, which is the guy that knows how to get through each country, all the way through until you cross the border," said Cruz.
The only thing different about Tuesday night dinner with the Cruz family and most others around Metro Atlanta might be the menu and the language.
"The opportunities to go to school to better yourself, have the American dream, it's all here. It's all here," said Cruz.
Many Hispanics concede the need for some sort of immigration overhaul, but not to the extent planned in Georgia.
"Something good has come out of this -- it has united us moreso than we have ever been. It is a wake up call," Cruz said.
In fact, protests like the ones in Georgia and elsewhere are galvanizing the Hispanic community all over the country, demonstrating their economic and political strength.
"A lot of people are going to be hurt, and it's not just the Latino community. Because they're going to find jobs in other places, but the people are so dependent now in construction, landscaping, restaurants, all kinds," said Sara Gonzales, president of the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
The Minority Business Development Agency says Hispanic businesses pump more than $40 billion a year into the national economy.
http://www.11alive.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=77944
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King sat in his Marietta home just minutes before the House passed Senate Bill 529.
"I was debt-free three years ago, we were moving to Florida, we had the house picked out," said King.
But King says he was compelled to make another choice. An insurance agent-turned-one-man movement, he has devoted his life, and his life savings, to fighting illegal immigration.
"I see very few people who are willing to stand up and say our borders should be secured and the law should be equally applied," King said.
King is loud. So are his critics. Some accuse him of being a racist. Some have threatened to harm him.
King says he has many Hispanic friends, and that it is not an ethnic issue, but an illegal one.
"I have apparently become a face of the 82 percent of the people in Georgia who are sick of this. I've had enough," said King.
King says he doesn't buy the argument that illegal aliens perform jobs Americans aren't willing to do.
"There are no jobs Americans will not do. It's a myth invented by the illegal alien lobby," King said.
King spent the current legislative session consulting with politicians and testifying before committees. Critics call it spewing or spouting. King calls it the truth, and he says he will not be quiet.
"There is a group of people for whom the law does not apply. So far it's people who are illegal and the employers who hire them. And all that leaves is the poor dumb sucker taxpayer paying for all of that," said King.
--
Erik Voss
erik@ICAtlanta.org
404-457-5901 Direct
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