Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue has spoken to Fox Atlanta in support of allowing Jessica Colotl to finish her degree at Kennesaw State University, as long as she pays out-of-state tuition.
He also said it is important that officials operate with compassion when it comes to immigration decision.
Finally, one reasonable voice among the Georgia Republicans. Too bad the gubernatorial candidates are not as compassionate.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
GOP GOVERNOR DEBATE FOCUSES ON IMMIGRATION
This past Saturday night, 4 GOP candidates for the position of Governor of Georgia, Nathan Deal, Eric Johnson, Karen Handel and John Oxendine discussed the heated immigration debate at the top of the agenda.
All of the candidates supported the Arizona legislation and said that if elected they would follow the same -- saying things like it's a duty for all law enforcement officers to enforce the law, or things of this nature. Handel stated that under no circumstances illegal immigrant should be able to benefit or use state services.
Well, great rhetoric maybe targeted towards a GOP audience -- after all Georgia is a very conservative state with Federal and state elections going about 70% towards Republicans. So that is not surprising. The surprising part is the uniformity of all these four candidates about the issue and the lack of understanding of the details involving this sensitive issue. But I guess that's not surprising coming from politicians either...
All of the candidates supported the Arizona legislation and said that if elected they would follow the same -- saying things like it's a duty for all law enforcement officers to enforce the law, or things of this nature. Handel stated that under no circumstances illegal immigrant should be able to benefit or use state services.
Well, great rhetoric maybe targeted towards a GOP audience -- after all Georgia is a very conservative state with Federal and state elections going about 70% towards Republicans. So that is not surprising. The surprising part is the uniformity of all these four candidates about the issue and the lack of understanding of the details involving this sensitive issue. But I guess that's not surprising coming from politicians either...
Friday, May 21, 2010
RESEARCH SHOWS IMMIGRANTS DON'T TAKE JOBS FROM AMERICANS
Factcheck.org has gathered a lot of academic research that shows that immigrants (even undocumented workers) do not take jobs from Americans. The opposite is true -- according to most economists and unbiased research tanks.
According to the publication, immigrant workers create almost as many jobs as they occupy and maybe more - including things they buy, that increases the demand for goods and services, and thus contributes to the economy, in turn increasing the demand for labor.
Beyond all the hate and rhetoric of the anti-immigration vocal groups, the facts are available at:
http://factcheck.org/2010/05/does-immigration-cost-jobs/
According to the publication, immigrant workers create almost as many jobs as they occupy and maybe more - including things they buy, that increases the demand for goods and services, and thus contributes to the economy, in turn increasing the demand for labor.
Beyond all the hate and rhetoric of the anti-immigration vocal groups, the facts are available at:
http://factcheck.org/2010/05/does-immigration-cost-jobs/
Thursday, May 20, 2010
MORE HATE AND ANGER OUT OF THE COLOTL CASE
Following the events in Cobb county, where Jessica Colotl, a Kennesaw State University was cited for a traffic ticket and discovered to be in the country unlawfully, the heated debate continues. Cobb is a source of heat and tension in the immigration debate.
Many political candidates are adding fuel to the flame by blaming the school and the board of regents from accepting Colotl into school and allowing her to pay in state tuition (savings of about $6,000 per year). More extreme politicians are demanding that the Georgia universities will now check immigration status of all students enrolled -- about 300,000 of them...
It's not illegal -- but it's actually legal (under both U.S. and Georgia law) for colleges to admit and enroll students who do not have legal immigration status. It doesn't appear that Colotl received any federal or state financial aid, so what do they really want from her? There is really no statistic about it but the numbers of undocumented students in public higher education are very small, and there is no evidence that they are crowding out U.S. citizens. Enrolling anyone into higher education is a good thing, not bad!
If all the hate and anger could be channeled towards solving the problem - which is our country's broken immigration system -- at least something good could be achieved, but unfortunately the angry haters don't have too many positive thoughts...
Many political candidates are adding fuel to the flame by blaming the school and the board of regents from accepting Colotl into school and allowing her to pay in state tuition (savings of about $6,000 per year). More extreme politicians are demanding that the Georgia universities will now check immigration status of all students enrolled -- about 300,000 of them...
It's not illegal -- but it's actually legal (under both U.S. and Georgia law) for colleges to admit and enroll students who do not have legal immigration status. It doesn't appear that Colotl received any federal or state financial aid, so what do they really want from her? There is really no statistic about it but the numbers of undocumented students in public higher education are very small, and there is no evidence that they are crowding out U.S. citizens. Enrolling anyone into higher education is a good thing, not bad!
If all the hate and anger could be channeled towards solving the problem - which is our country's broken immigration system -- at least something good could be achieved, but unfortunately the angry haters don't have too many positive thoughts...
Friday, May 14, 2010
COBB SHERIFF OBTAINS ARREST WARRANT FOR UNDOCUMENTED STUDENT
In yet another Cobb county story to hit the news, it appears the Cobb county police is again focusing on chasing after the undocumented. The story was published online at the Marietta Daily Journal, at http://www.mdjonline.com/view/full_story/7411692/article-Cobb-sheriff-obtains-warrant-for-illegal-KSU-student?instance=home_news_left.
They are looking for a Kennesaw State University student Jessica Colotl, who apparently arrived to the U.S. at age 7, with her parents, undocumented from Mexico. She was stopped for a traffic violation at KSU's campus on March 29 and cited for impeding the flow of traffic. She was arrested the following day when she could not present a valid driver's license. After her booking, she was reported to the immigration authorities, but released on May 5th by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement which agreed to defer action against her for one year so she could return to her university studies.
According to the Cobb authorities, she provided them with false immigration information, so they are after her for this (potentially a felony).
The story sparked debates and angry blogs from anti-immigration individuals and advocates, including Sam Olens who is running for state attorney general that suggested that every individual receiving the HOPE scholarship or in-state tuition would have to prove he or she is legally in the U.S. Colotl apparently graduated DeKalb county school with a 3.8 GPA, a very good student.
KSU President Dr. Dan Papp, wrote a letter for Colotl that he requests that she provided every opportunity to stay at KSU. Now angry groups are calling to fire him. What a disgrace! An educator who supports an individual pursuing higher education should be commanded, not reprimanded!
It is also another example of the unfortunate circumstances where Cobb county officials waste so much efforts going after undocumented. It doesn't make me feel safer against real criminal, just contributes to a feeling of wasting police resources to deal with minor offenses.
They are looking for a Kennesaw State University student Jessica Colotl, who apparently arrived to the U.S. at age 7, with her parents, undocumented from Mexico. She was stopped for a traffic violation at KSU's campus on March 29 and cited for impeding the flow of traffic. She was arrested the following day when she could not present a valid driver's license. After her booking, she was reported to the immigration authorities, but released on May 5th by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement which agreed to defer action against her for one year so she could return to her university studies.
According to the Cobb authorities, she provided them with false immigration information, so they are after her for this (potentially a felony).
The story sparked debates and angry blogs from anti-immigration individuals and advocates, including Sam Olens who is running for state attorney general that suggested that every individual receiving the HOPE scholarship or in-state tuition would have to prove he or she is legally in the U.S. Colotl apparently graduated DeKalb county school with a 3.8 GPA, a very good student.
KSU President Dr. Dan Papp, wrote a letter for Colotl that he requests that she provided every opportunity to stay at KSU. Now angry groups are calling to fire him. What a disgrace! An educator who supports an individual pursuing higher education should be commanded, not reprimanded!
It is also another example of the unfortunate circumstances where Cobb county officials waste so much efforts going after undocumented. It doesn't make me feel safer against real criminal, just contributes to a feeling of wasting police resources to deal with minor offenses.
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