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...
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
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.
Friday, April 9, 2010
IMMIGRATION AFFIDAVIT REQUIRED FOR GOVERNMENT BENEFICIARIES -- INCLUDING INMATES?!
Douglas County, Georgia, started to implement this week a requirement for everyone who benefits from local government to sign a notarized statement that they are U.S. citizens or legal immigrants. This change includes local businesses, employees and jail inmates -- yes that is correct folks -- jail inmates are considered receiving a benefit (although if you ask them I am sure they would not agree as such).
These letters are being sent to vendors, those who have contracts with the county, and those who have an alcohol license with the county, and county employees and pension receivers will also have to sign these affidavits.
Further, the county will check nationality of all prisoners that are held in a county or municipal jail charged with a felony, DUI, driving without a license, or misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature. I never would have guessed that driving without a license was such a high aggravated crime or equal to such...
Douglas County reasoned that the Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act expanded its definition of an 'applicant' to the SAVE program requirement to include 'any natural person making a request for public benefits on behalf of an individual, business, corporation, partnership or other entity.' I still don't understand how a business license or alcohol license is a public benefit (except for the tax dollars that the county collects) or how crazy a jail inmate would actually have to be making a request for the wonderful public benefits of his or her own incarceration.
These letters are being sent to vendors, those who have contracts with the county, and those who have an alcohol license with the county, and county employees and pension receivers will also have to sign these affidavits.
Further, the county will check nationality of all prisoners that are held in a county or municipal jail charged with a felony, DUI, driving without a license, or misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature. I never would have guessed that driving without a license was such a high aggravated crime or equal to such...
Douglas County reasoned that the Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act expanded its definition of an 'applicant' to the SAVE program requirement to include 'any natural person making a request for public benefits on behalf of an individual, business, corporation, partnership or other entity.' I still don't understand how a business license or alcohol license is a public benefit (except for the tax dollars that the county collects) or how crazy a jail inmate would actually have to be making a request for the wonderful public benefits of his or her own incarceration.
Friday, April 2, 2010
GA SENATE APPROVES BILL AGAINST NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING DRIVERS
A bill sponsored by State Senator Jack Murphy (R) just passed the Georgia Senate this week, which would make English the only language that someone can use to get a license. Currently, the Georgia driver's license exam can be taken in 13 languages.
Murphy, the chairman of the Public Safety Committee used the excuse of a "safety issue" stating that driver's that can't read road signs pose a danger to everyone. However, no data or evidence was provided to support this claim. People who speak a foreign language are competent in understanding the road signs, same as illiterate people. The only difference is in taking the exam and answering questions in English to sentences that they do not understand, not failure to recognize road signs.
As critics rightly point out, the bill is anti-immigrant and could stunt economic development. The critics, who call it the "Kia Go Home Bill", tie it to the Korean automaker that opened up a manufacturing plant in Georgia with a billion dollars investment, and has a sizable Korean workforce.
SB67 was actually proposed during the last legislative session but did not pass. During a surprise resurgence of this bill, without putting it on the calendar, Murphy succeeded in back dooring these amendments.
The bill only affects permanent residents and exempt temporary license seekers. The bill does not account for illiterate Georgians. If permanent residents who legally reside in the country indefinitely cannot pass the driver's license test, the reality of the situation is that many will drive without a license, thereby not being able to obtain insurance, and will pose a greater risk to all Georgians driving on the road. I sincerely hope the governor will veto the bill, although I doubt it based on his personal history.
Murphy, the chairman of the Public Safety Committee used the excuse of a "safety issue" stating that driver's that can't read road signs pose a danger to everyone. However, no data or evidence was provided to support this claim. People who speak a foreign language are competent in understanding the road signs, same as illiterate people. The only difference is in taking the exam and answering questions in English to sentences that they do not understand, not failure to recognize road signs.
As critics rightly point out, the bill is anti-immigrant and could stunt economic development. The critics, who call it the "Kia Go Home Bill", tie it to the Korean automaker that opened up a manufacturing plant in Georgia with a billion dollars investment, and has a sizable Korean workforce.
SB67 was actually proposed during the last legislative session but did not pass. During a surprise resurgence of this bill, without putting it on the calendar, Murphy succeeded in back dooring these amendments.
The bill only affects permanent residents and exempt temporary license seekers. The bill does not account for illiterate Georgians. If permanent residents who legally reside in the country indefinitely cannot pass the driver's license test, the reality of the situation is that many will drive without a license, thereby not being able to obtain insurance, and will pose a greater risk to all Georgians driving on the road. I sincerely hope the governor will veto the bill, although I doubt it based on his personal history.
Monday, March 22, 2010
PROPOSED BILL TO REQUIRE ALL BUSINESSES TO USE E-VERIFY
A new bill proposed by Rep. Bobby Reese wants to mount additional cumbersome requirements on all businesses in Georgia by requiring all of them to participate in the E-Verify program administered by DHS.
The bill, House Bill 1259, known as The Georgia Employer and Worker Protection Act of 2010, was suggested under guise of protecting American workers. I doubt that is the true intention behind the bill, but even if it is, will do very little, if any, to protect American workers, while increasing paperwork and administration burden and costs on employers.
It was recently reported that the E-Verify system is still wrought with inaccuracies, up to 54% of the time when dealing with legal employees (such as U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents). When such a person gets a negative hit, they may be rejected employment or run around between different government agencies (such as the Social Security Administration) to figure out where the mistake is. Under current conditions, it is more likely that a lawful person will be rejected from employment than someone without authorization to be accepted to work.
It is ironic that the Republicans, who are supposed to be advocating for free business and less government intervention, are actually acting contrary to those fundamental beliefs when it comes to immigration.
The bill, House Bill 1259, known as The Georgia Employer and Worker Protection Act of 2010, was suggested under guise of protecting American workers. I doubt that is the true intention behind the bill, but even if it is, will do very little, if any, to protect American workers, while increasing paperwork and administration burden and costs on employers.
It was recently reported that the E-Verify system is still wrought with inaccuracies, up to 54% of the time when dealing with legal employees (such as U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents). When such a person gets a negative hit, they may be rejected employment or run around between different government agencies (such as the Social Security Administration) to figure out where the mistake is. Under current conditions, it is more likely that a lawful person will be rejected from employment than someone without authorization to be accepted to work.
It is ironic that the Republicans, who are supposed to be advocating for free business and less government intervention, are actually acting contrary to those fundamental beliefs when it comes to immigration.
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