Capitol Ideas

By Tu mamacita

February 28, 2006 08:17 AM | Link to this

Hell yes…If you are an illegal you’re already breaking federal laws. If you hire an illegal you are also breaking federal laws. Another question? Why is Marta hiring illegals?

By Fed Up

February 28, 2006 08:19 AM | Link to this

Yes, of course! The employer is breaking the law by hiring illegals. The employer is also aiding the illegal in committing a crime. Why should the employer get a tax deduction for breaking the law???

The problem is that there is a huge trade in fake IDs for illegals. I wonder if the legislation will deal with that.. i.e. have some way to check for fake SS numbers, etc.

I know three immigrants (my mom included) who busted their tails to be here legitimately. It’s not fair to them for illegals to have the same benefits as legals without having to do anything.

By meme

February 28, 2006 08:42 AM | Link to this

I think it is a great idea. We have several legal immigrants who work with us and all but one of them have a 2nd job to help pay for their “American Dream”.

By Debbie

February 28, 2006 08:48 AM | Link to this

Only going after the illegals is like only going after the drug users not the drug pushers. Employers should be punished for hiring illegals. Take away jobs for illegals and you won’t have nearly the issue with people crossing the border to get over here. It is costing tax payer dollars.

The low labor cost of illegals effects everyone. The pay scale starts at the bottom and goes up like a pyramid. Get rid of illegal labor and everyone will start to realize increased pay.

By Juli

February 28, 2006 08:55 AM | Link to this

Without a doubt! If the employers weren’t hiring the illegals, then they wouldn’t have a reason to keep flocking over here by the thousands.

And don’t give me that “they do the jobs that American’s won’t do” bull…ANY JOB can be made so that an American won’t do it…heck, if the pay for a doctor dropped to $10,000 a year, that would make yet another job that an American wouldn’t do.

The only way the problem with the illegals is going to get better is to kick’em where it hurts…the employers.

By David

February 28, 2006 09:09 AM | Link to this

As the grandson/son of legal immigrants I fully appreciate the fact that this country took them in. However, I know that my Grandparents and their children had to fight delays, paperwork, and multiple difficulties in obtaining their legal entrance into this country. My Grandfather was allowed entrance into this country 6 years before my Grandmother and their children were allowed in. I would not support any effort to ban legal immigration or to limit government services for legal immigrants.

Illegal immigrants are another matter. I firmly believe that no public resources of any type should be used in support of illegal aliens. That means no social security, no medicare, no food stamps, no free hospitalization, and no legal day labor points as a minimum. Police protection should be provided, but as soon as a person is identified as undocumented they should be returned to the nearest border and repatriated.

America is a land of law. Illegal aliens, by the single issue of being illegally in the country, prove that they have no interest in following the law.

Possibly the law is wrong. That I will not argue anyone; each person must make their own decision on that. As the law stands today, illegal aliens share the same position, legally speaking, as people such as thieves, child abusers, spousal abusers, muggers, and all the other denizens of the small time underworld.

Remember, they are knowing and willing criminals, breakers of the law of the land. They are not simply poor people that have lost papers. They are not simply people that want a better chance. They are people that have made a concious decision to break the law.

As such they deserve no support net at the local, state, or federal government level…and non-governmental charities should take a close look at what their expenditures on known criminals bring in return.

By grammie

February 28, 2006 09:16 AM | Link to this

As one article in this paper stated, it is an invasion. Illegals are coming into the USA and Georgia and DEMANDING services. This should be stopped. Both the employer and the illegal should be punished.

By Syed

February 28, 2006 10:32 AM | Link to this

I am a LEGAL foreign worker. I agree with most of you about the problem of illegal immigrants. But, Remember, Employers hire illegal for reason. You might see a lot of illegal immigrants working, but guess what, the employer is American. I feel like, employers are sometime forced to hire illegal. Reasons, low pay, long-odd hours and the BIGGEST reason is Health. Yes, you can penalized employer for hiring illegal, but that’s gonna hurt people too. You might end up paying high prices in stored, food shops. Also, I think the law Georgia is considering is going after the small fish. No matter how many illegal immigrants are working here, at least they are spending most of the earned money here. Outsourcing is a lot bigger problem for all of us here. In my prodessional experience, I have seen, companies laying off people , mostly americans, and outsourcing jobs. Again, the main reason is Health. Remember, most of the money is of outsourcing go out of the country. I will appreciate healthy comment on my view

By Martinez

February 28, 2006 10:33 AM | Link to this

In 1776, a land full of illegal immigrants were all trying to escape the persecution of their home nation and find opportunity. Funny how easily we try to deny that opportunity to people today.

Did Columbus have a tourist visa, or did John Smith have his green card?

By Cobb Mother

February 28, 2006 10:41 AM | Link to this

I, being an American citizen, thought that ILLEGAL means ILLEGAL. I didn’t know that you could do SOME ILLEGAL acts, the government knows about it, the authorities knows about it but you don’t go to jail? The papers, the people keep saying that if you are ILLEGAL, you must do X, Y and Z. What about saying, “If you are ILLEGAL, you will be taken to jail, or some type of holding facility and you will be deported back to where you illegally came from. Hello.

By Robin

February 28, 2006 10:56 AM | Link to this

I think employers should be penalized for hiring illegal immigrants. If the immigrants are here legally, then I am all for them and for employers hiring them. But, for those who come here illegally, NO!

By Anne

February 28, 2006 11:10 AM | Link to this

No, Columbus didn’t have a tourist visa, nor John Smith a green card - and 18th century America did not have a government that taxed income, providing education and security for all and support for the poor. Illegals take advantage of a system to which they do not contribute. (Nevermind the fact that their presence in this country is ILLEGAL).

If America was just the vast empty space it was 3 hundred years ago, then sure, who’s to decide who comes and who doesn’t. This isn’t a matter of whether immigration should be regulated by the gov’t - it currently is, and breaking those regulations is ILLEGAL - so yes, those who employ illegals should be penalized.

By Melissa

February 28, 2006 11:21 AM | Link to this

Law and Reality have to mix. If we made a law that denied people to unionize and they were left at the mercy of business, these people would still unionize. Would it be illegal? Yes, technically, but would it be right, NO and would it reflect reality, NO! The reality is we need these workers, our economy needs these workers, they are here, and they are not going home, and they are not rushing into Georgia DEMANDING services. GWB, Perdue, Chambliss, Taylor, Zamarripa, and Cox, all understand that this is a FEDERAL issue, not a state issue. These people would come here LEGALLY if they could, but our immigration system is broken! For all of those who came here legally, I am proud that you were able to make your way through that convoluted process, but even you realize it is much too difficult. IN REALITY THE POLICY DOES NOT FIT THE NEED OF THE AMERICAN ECONOMY and until it does there will continue to be illegals. SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTACT YOUR U.S. SENATORS AND CONGRESSMAN AND URGE THEM TO TAKE ACTION!!! If there is a problem and you really want to fix it then as someone said you go to the source. The source is a broken federal immigration policy, the effect is illegal immigrants. Go to the source!

By time for the truth

February 28, 2006 11:31 AM | Link to this

As a now naturalized US Citizen I went through a great deal of snotty abuse and incompetence, some of which was illegal and in direct contravenetion of immigration law and INS regulations. My being white meant that the black women INS stormtroopers were especially nasty, everyone of them. I had a white Nazi (male) at one interview who at one point told me my case would be denied for NO legitimate reason, just to exercise his power. My attorney told me I could and should complain but I chose not to, for obvious reasons related to retaliation. He treated a clearly very scared oriental family with young kids behind me in the queue like dog squeeze. This officially sanctioned nastiness is sadly quite a common occurence in Atlanta, especially for those in racially mixed marriages (which happily I was not). Several European white men I know were deliberately harassed by black female officers which is what black race baiters call underlying racism when it happens to them. Black African immigrants I saw on my trips to Forsyth Street are often treated even more abusively by fellow blacks

Dealing with immigration in most countries is not pleasant, but in Atlanta the racial dimension is just ignored by INS managers. The smug hypocrisy of senior INS managers at naturalisation ceremonies is as vile as anything served up by congressional democrats. Having been through the system, and had my case delayed by blatant INS incompetence it is unbelievably galling to see every day millions of Mexican types demanding the right to legally settle here and not be subject to the same strictures and rules and often decidedly arbitrary INS processing that I was. My American wife works in the immigration biz so I know of what I speak, she processes over a dozen cases each month, dealing with Texas (for investment visa cases) as well as Atlanta. The Texas office is much less snotty and much more helpful with cases. Talk to any US citizen about their treatment by INS in Atlanta when getting their spouses legal, virtually all of them are stunned by the rudeness, arrogance, verbal aggression and intimidation, especially from the black female officers. There’s one male oriental officer down there who is real nice, even though I never dealt with him officially.

Now I am a citizen I never have to deal with these tossers again. But I have great sympathy for those who do. But Mexicans and other illegals have NO business being here and should have all benefits taken from them. I, like all other legal immigrants knew that if I applied for any govt benefits my case would be denied. I didn’t need or want any benefits.

Its time to kick out illegals and institute a guest worker programme, that’s the fair way to do it. Do not obtusely assume I am bitter, I deliberately used harsh but accurate descriptions of what happened to me to illustrate albeit only partially how it really is for legal (white) immigrants.

By Melissa

February 28, 2006 11:32 AM | Link to this

Anne, Immigrants pay taxes, some don’t like gardeners or construction workers, etc. but any “illegal” immigrant employed by a legal business has a SS# or a Tax payer Identification (TIN#)— the gov’t uses this # for biz to hire illegals — looks just like a SS#. Anyhow, so all those people pay 100% of the tax on their income and do not file returns. The US Congressional Budget Office said that the SS Admin. knows all the money collected by false SS#’s - the number right now is 400 BILLION — do they want to do anything to crack down on these fradulent #’s - NO, because they want the money, look, fix the immmigration system at the US level and all immigrants can pay all taxes. Also, even those who don’t pay income, pay sales, property, and user fee taxes.

By marceia tuggle

February 28, 2006 11:42 AM | Link to this

yes i would support this bill. hopefully this will encourage more illegal aliens to seek legal citizenship so that they can pay taxes the same as we do. In the meantime, our tax dollars are supporting them and providing them with more benefits than we as citizens have, for example, healthcare and several social services programs … I say, either get legal or get on!!

By David

February 28, 2006 11:47 AM | Link to this

Reference comment by Syed: I fully agree with you that illegals fill jobs that require hours in excess of the legal amount, jobs that pay wages at or below the minimum wage, and jobs that have no health care attached.

I do not believe it is the fault of the illegals that they take these jobs but, with illegality feeding upon illegality, employers would not be able to treat legal immigrants/native born in such a cavalier manner. Illegals have no way of protecting themselves because they are outside of normal protective channels; they are illegals.

I suspect that you are correct in stating that the cost of goods and services that depend on the lowest level workers would go up if employers were not able to use illegal workers. Is this necessarily a bad thing? What it means to me is that legal workers would get a bit more money for doing the work, enabling them to better survive. The cost to me, while possibly a bit higher, would be far less that the total cost involved in supporting an illegal population. Granted, the government is unlikely to reduce my tax burden, but we don’t expect miracles, do we?

Outsourcing is a troublesome issue but it usually involves more skilled jobs than illegals are able to obtain. While troublesome, it is a totally different issue and must be handled in a different way.

Health services are an issue that must be confronted head on. Under the current system the very bottom level of the economic strata, including most illegal aliens, obtains free health care. Workers slightly above the minimum for medicaid get neither government nor company provided medical care. Personnel higher up the pay scale, personnel that need good benefits to be recruited get varying health packages with companies paying varying amounts toward the cost of the policy.

We in the United States have to recognize that we are the last major economic power in the world that does not have some sort of national health care provided for all citizens. We must recognize that this lack of a national health care plan impacts on the costs of the goods and services that we provide to overseas customers, making our costs higher than those of other countries. Even worse, our citizens do not have even a minimal support network. Sickness can lead to poverty and homelessness, something that a good society should not allow.

So we agree: Getting rid of illegal aliens will cost everyone a bit of cash. Do we agree that we are all willing to spend that bit more to rid the nation of this criminal layer?

By glenn

February 28, 2006 11:47 AM | Link to this

immigration, legel or illegal, is vital for our economy. immigration is most probably the most important factor that has led to the growth and prosperity in georgia. growth is growth. if they are removed from the equation, we are in for a major downturn. everbody in the state will feel the pain.

while i do think illegals should pay for state services like everybody else, the benefit of immigrants is far more important than the costs. great economies and countries are built on immigrants. legal or illegal. if you want to destroy georgia send them home. it’s economics 101. very confused that people can’t understand this. any economist worth his salt would agree with this. hate to see our great state devastated.

By gcampagna

February 28, 2006 11:50 AM | Link to this

immigration, legel or illegal, is vital for our economy. immigration is most probably the most important factor that has led to the growth and prosperity in georgia. growth is growth. if they are removed from the equation, we are in for a major downturn. everbody in the state will feel the pain.

while i do think illegals should pay for state services like everybody else, the benefit of immigrants is far more important than the costs. great economies and countries are built on immigrants. legal or illegal. if you want to destroy georgia send them home. it’s economics 101. very confused that people can’t understand this. any economist worth his salt would agree with this. hate to see our great state devastated.

By RWH

February 28, 2006 12:03 PM | Link to this

The Immigration and Naturalzation Act is well and has not been buried. It has been those who arrive in these United States illegal intention to avoid going through the process, “red-tape” and it would serve them better to be in this country illegal. To keep from following the laws; this makes matter worse regardless what an employer or an illegal think. Being on run can last only for a while…sooner or later, one will have to face the truth. The opportunity is there; many illegals are not taking it; and when it comes to the point; they have no other recourse other than being returned to the country from whence they came. Look at what is to come; it don’t look good, it will get worse before it get better and being in an illegal shoes, they can’t fit even the smallest attempt to do what is right, decent and fair on their behalf. Sadly, illegals have swarmed these United States…and, the government has to move to level the field. We all know what that mean….I would take the easy way out and try to come in legally. The impact is about to be felted and its going to be a lot of people being returned; the enforcement is coming and the impact is about to be great, greater than anyone has seen in a long time. The government has to take steps if we are to remain a just and open country. We have to enforce our laws, more so now than ever!

By Steve

February 28, 2006 12:04 PM | Link to this

Yes, employers should not hire illegal aliens,ans should be penalized if they do so. BE VERY AFRAID OF A GUEST WORKER PROGRAM! If a guest worker program is approved then what is left of America’s manufacturing operations will move to near the border and wages will sink even lower. Real wage growth has been in the negative for the last five years.

By E. Lewis

February 28, 2006 12:26 PM | Link to this

I think that if we want to get serious about illegal immigration, we should start charging some serious $$$ against any business or person who hires them. If it drives a company out of business, that’s the price they pay.

This won’t happen of course because we like the low, low prices we get at Wal-Mart and who wants to pay contractor prices to put a new roof on their house? The fines as they stand are enough to gain political points, but not enough to curb the practice of hiring illegals.

By E. Lewis

February 28, 2006 12:27 PM | Link to this

Besides, $600 is a mere pittance.

By Melllllll1

February 28, 2006 12:41 PM | Link to this

Everyone is always so worried about the illegal immigrants. How they take our jobs, our tax money. I have never feared that an illegal immigrant would be competing with me for my job. I do have the fear that the greedy CEO of my company will ship my job to another country so that he can make millions more.

If they find an illegal immigrant that is willing to work on a chicken farm for pennies so that we can enjoy chicken breast for $5.00 lb, I say give him the damn job. We’ll take care of their medical expenses! Give some lazy American that job and they probably won’t do it as well, they’ll whine about it the whole time, and we’ll have to pay them a much higher wage and end up paying $10.00 or $15.00 lb - or more. Look at what all the new housing is going for. Outside of Atlanta all of the new developments are building houses that go for 500, 600, 700 thousand dollars and up. Can you imagine if they didn’t use some of the immigrants to do that work? The houses would then be three times the amount. Of course the builders and developers have to make millions. We couldn’t really expect anything less for them.

Leave the immigrants alone. We have such bigger issues to deal with. How about let’s fine all our corrupt politicians that work side-by-side with all the corrupt corporations.

By Syed

February 28, 2006 12:46 PM | Link to this

David, I agree with you on most part. I am sure you will agree on this too, creation of new laws should totally be based on benefits of the people and state, not bigotry. I am not sure which one it is in case of Georgia. Keep in mind that Georgia and Atlanta are 2 different things. I don’t think Penalizing employer would benefit the people or state. I have american education. While I was in school, I worked in gas station, pizza delivery and so forth. Now I have a white coller job. I don’t think americans should be worried about employment because if the illegals. Employers hire illegals not only because they are cheao but also there are simply not enough workers out there. But, I do agree that employers should be taxed extra for illegals. Also, there should some kind of measures to tax the illegals. That will generate more revenue and also more jobs. that will be a win win game. Some are here really worried about tax payer’s money. When it comes to tax paying, trust me, there is no legal illegals. I have seen number of legal immigrants and citizens don’t pay tax, work for cash money, at the same time, I personally know few illegals who have been illegal for 6 years and paying taxes. Also, driving off the illegals won’t do much good. There are millions of illegals in Georgia, but they are also consumers, they spend money. As far as tax payers services go, Yes, I think there should some regulations for people who don’t pay taxes. There are lot americans, along with illegals, who are mooching off public services. Lot of legals and illegals stay home, pop up babies every year and live off social security and food stamp. we are paying for those. Also, David, Outsourcing is a lot bigger problem than you think. I work closely with few companies like that and I have seen. Also, the Guest worker might help the economy. How ? the guest worker program will at least keep the industries here, other wise , the big corp will move their factories and industries to another country. There are other good aspects of it, like, it will reduce outsourcing and generate more revenue. Again, more revenue, better economy, more jobs.

By Melissa

February 28, 2006 01:07 PM | Link to this

The system on the federal level is at fault. They are the ones who should implement whether employers should be penalized. Now think about this Georgia…what would happen if all the illegals stopped working for 3 days. Atlanta would be at a standstill. Think about that before you rush to decide.

By Syed

February 28, 2006 01:10 PM | Link to this

Mellllll1 Loved your comment. The state worries about an illegal who is working $4/hr so that we can enjoy $1.99/lb beef. These probably are the same lawmaker who supported the unnecessarry war that, so far, took 200 Billion of tax payer money. And, no one seems to be doing anything about sky high Health, That is one of the main reasons of Ford and GM’s job cut.

By Juli

February 28, 2006 02:50 PM | Link to this

Would I be willing to pay a little more money so that employers could pay American workers more? Not just yes, but without a doubt, unequivocally, HECK YES!

The people who are saying that illegals don’t hurt the American workforce are obviously not unemployed trying to find a decent job to support their family. Imagine how you would feel if you lost your job because your employer discovered that an illegal could do it for less money?

The bottom line is, however, that ILLEGAL is ILLEGAL. It’s illegal for me to break into my neighbor’s house and take money, right? Well, that’s exactly what the ILLEGALS are doing to the United States. They’re breaking in and taking money away from our workers. If it’s ok in that form, why is it not ok to do the other? The illegals need the money. Well, so do I. Does that make it right for me to take it, hurting someone else in the process? Of course not. I, personally, see no difference here.

By l

February 28, 2006 03:09 PM | Link to this

Yes, I do believe that certain companies hiring illegals under the table should be penaltized. Just remember, who does your house cleaning, unwanted tree stumps removal, painting your house, yard work, and other work deamed as “undesirable” for a cheap. Don’t tell me that no one has hired an illegal alien. Afterall, they probably built your house.

By Justin

February 28, 2006 03:20 PM | Link to this

Take it from me, A company owner that hires these hard working people on a daily basis. If I could find legal citzens to do the work, and keep my cost low enough to still provide good service at a far price then trust me I would. But that wont happen, I would pay the fine, keep using them. Rather then hire some loser of a dirt bag who thinks everything is owed to them. You want to curve this illegal alien problem? You vote in the FAIR TAX ( google it if you dont know about it) Then they all will be paying taxes, and for godsake give them a green card and get on with enforceing the border.

By Angie

February 28, 2006 03:21 PM | Link to this

I fully support Sen. Chip Rogers, but I wish his senate bill imposed a ten thousand dollar fine for every illegal that a company employs. The home builders, carpet mills and chicken processors obviously lobbied and the legal citizens of Georgia get the shaft again because Chip’s bill is now watered down.

I plan to vote against any of my elected representatives who cave in on this issue. They hope that our country gives illegals the right to vote and that they will garner those votes at some point in the future. Face it folks; we’ve been betrayed by our federal government on the immigration issue.

I personnaly would support a federal sales tax so that all the illegals are forced to pay for their share of the freebies our government gives away to them. Just think, we could shore up social security and do right by our parents if we didn’t subsidize illegal parasites.

By Angie

February 28, 2006 03:28 PM | Link to this

Who cleans and paints my house, does my yard work and other undesirable work? I do! And, I’ll grind my own darn stumps before I’ll hire an illegal to do anything for me.

I am a middle class female that works a full-time job, a part-time job, and goes to college full-time on my own dime! And I resent every penny that comes out of my pay and goes to an illegal.

By Melllllll1

February 28, 2006 03:31 PM | Link to this

Juli, the immigrants aren’t taking good jobs. Personally, I wouldn’t want any of their jobs. And we wouldn’t pay an American a little more money to do the same thing. We would pay them A LOT more money to do the same thing.

By l

February 28, 2006 03:47 PM | Link to this

Angie, I am glad that you are not an “lazy” American. Just keep telling yourself that when you bite into a juicy chicken that was “Georgia” grown and handled by an illegal.

By Van

February 28, 2006 03:50 PM | Link to this

Employeers can verify a SSN by going to the Social Security website

TIN’s are recognizable, again from the SSN website

An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) is a tax processing number issued by the Internal Revenue Service. It is a nine-digit number that always begins with the number 9 and has a 7 or 8 in the fourth digit, example 9XX-7X-XXXX.

These are marked, “Not for Employment”

If a business does not do its job in checking, then that business should suffer losing its business license for that location. The length of time the license is suspended, would be determined by a court.

It is simple folks, legal immigrants and citizens should not have a problem passing this muster.

By Juli

February 28, 2006 03:52 PM | Link to this

If that’s what it takes, then that’s what it takes. To me, there is not any excuse that’s good enough to make hiring an illegal an ok thing to do.

By Angie

February 28, 2006 03:54 PM | Link to this

I grew up on a farm with chickens. I know how to ring one’s neck, pluck its feathers and fry it up. We need illegal immigrants like a fish needs a bicycle.

By l

February 28, 2006 04:15 PM | Link to this

Hey Angie, work for me for $2.00 an hour. There is room for a short fryer. Oh, I forgot that I am hiring a full-time college student working full-time and part-time and does everything herself. Yeah, right.

By Juli

February 28, 2006 04:25 PM | Link to this

OK, um, so because it saves the businesses money, it’s OK??? Maybe I’m reading more into some of these responses, but it seems as if some are saying that if it helps business owners, then by all means, break the law! Please tell me I’m reading these responses wrong.

By Nel

February 28, 2006 04:36 PM | Link to this

It’s very easy for people to say they would pay more. Have you researched how much the cost of healthcare, etc on an autoworker’s contract added to the price of your GM or Ford car? The Gulf Coast needs workers and guess who’s showing up to do all that backbreaking work? How many Americans do you know that will willingly be out in the rain, heat, cold 7 days per week from dawn until dark? I heard a gentleman on the radio say that he couldn’t get locals to show up every day to help him rebuild his home, so he’s using the foreigners who arrived in droves and he hopes they stay because they are not afraid to work.

By CONNIE

February 28, 2006 04:46 PM | Link to this

THE COMPANY WHERE I WORK THAT IS ALL THEY HIRE AND DO IT WITH PRIDE MOST HAVE 3 AND 4 KIDS ON WELFARE AND GETTING WIC WHY? WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE ELIGIBLE TO GET THIS AND CANT BUT THEY HAVE FAKE PAPERS AND GET ANYTHING MAYBE GEORGIA SHOULD START GOING DOOR TO DOOR TO THESE PLACES AND SHIPPING THESE PEOPLE BACK BY THE TRUCK LOAD MY JOB WOULD BE THE FIST WAREHOUSE EMPTY

By Edna

February 28, 2006 05:43 PM | Link to this

I thought there was free enterprise in this country. Why must be illegal to hire people who works hard for less money? Do you prefer those businesses leaving this country and going overseas? If they go, there will be more jobs lost due to the domino effect. Taxes won’t be collected here and then we will know that being legal is a matter of perception. This is a matter of economics where offer and demand make the rules. The thousands, maybe millions, of perfectly healthy people receiving welfare, don’t want to work. Why nobody protest for all those men and women having children since they are 14 years old and we all are supporting? Does someone how hard, expensive and frustrating is, following the rules and become legal? I do. For all of you are criticizing without having an idea of the procedures and reality of immigration, here are some questions. Are there American INS officers allowing illegal people and drugs entering this country? Of course. There is too much easy money to make and very little risk. Anybody of us will be very tempted. Especially if everyday, you are in the middle of the desert with a temperature of above 100 degrees, trying to stop people who have nothing to lose and a lot to win. Do you know that at the border there are many American INS officers involved sentimentally or sexually with illegal females? NBC & CBS had reported it. Do you know that if you are a decent middle class foreigner you have a lot of problems to obtain a tourist permit, but if you are rich, and not so decent, you can fly to any US airport and you will get the permit very easily. Does someone remembers that the 9/11 terrorist flew here? They didn’t walk through the desert! Do you know that it takes at least 7 years to be a resident by marriage, 1 1/2 for parents, and 12 years for sisters/brothers? Do you know there is an income requirement, per person, to obtain the resident permit? Do you know that a lawyer charges around $3,000 to obtain a work permit or residence card?
Do you know what it takes to fill up one INS form? I had education and enough English. I still needed a lawyer to do it. Do you know how long it takes to obtain a social security after the INS & the FBI has cleared you? Interesting, if you have a residence card and tell anyone at the social security office that INS has declared you legal, they look at you like Martian. They have not idea of what are you talking about. Do you know that often the INS will schedule an interview to grant your residence (it takes almost a year to be scheduled), you can be the perfect immigrant, but the FBI has not even processed your fingerprints that were taken a year ago!!! Do you know that I have paid taxes for nine years and been citizen for three years and still I had to show my American passport when I registered for University to prove I am citizen because nobody in INS could certify it? There are so many things people ignore about the process of being legal. It easy to criticize, but the reality is a lot more complicated. Everlast sings “God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in his shoes ‘Cause then you really might know what it’s like to sing the blues” Yes, I came here legally. I worked very hard to become American and I am smart enough the see that the system is broken. More officers, walls, technology, vigilantism, and hate are not the solution. We all are immigrants. This land only belongs to the poor Natives, today confined to the worst areas of this country. They were the only ones who had the right to put walls to isolate this country and they didn’t. Open your eyes, this is the 21 century. There is no country able to survive in isolation like China did long time ago. We have to adapt and change things so desperate people won’t be exploited, murdered and raped just because they want to live better. Your ancesters came here to do that. Do you have the right to condemne others who want the same for their children? Let’s put in jail or expulse people who commit a crime regardless of nationality, but we NEED decent and hard working people in this country, also regardless of nationality. I am sick of supporting strong and healthy men and women with nice cars and cell phones. Those collect welfare just because they were born here. THAT is not right!

By gpcampagna

February 28, 2006 08:29 PM | Link to this

immigration, legel or illegal, is vital for our economy. immigration is most probably the most important factor that has led to the growth and prosperity in georgia. growth is growth. if they are removed from the equation, we are in for a major downturn. everbody in the state will feel the pain.

while i do think illegals should pay for state services like everybody else, the benefit of immigrants is far more important than the costs. great economies and countries are built on immigrants. legal or illegal. if you want to destroy georgia send them home. it’s economics 101. very confused that people can’t understand this. any economist worth his salt would agree with this. hate to see our great state devastated.

By michael

February 28, 2006 09:42 PM | Link to this

I support penalizing employers who exploit labor and dont play by the same rules honest employers have to abide by. It is so short sided to look at there bottom line and not think about the cost to tax payers and to econmy as a whole.

By JoeM

March 1, 2006 09:42 AM | Link to this

It is amazing that people don’t understand economy and willingness to work.

If Mexicans will do work that no one else wants and we punish the employers and immigrants then who will do the work?

You sure aren’t going to get Asians, Whites, or Blacks to lay sod or paint your house for $6 an hour so why penalize those that do.

The government should recognize the law abiding immigrants, grant a visa, and make them pay taxes and social security not penalize them for services that no one else in this country will do for a living.

This situation is no different than the Italians, Irish, Polish, etc. that came to America in the early 1900’s to get a better life.

But America doesn’t look that far back and work towards a solution rather than punishment.

By meme

March 1, 2006 09:59 AM | Link to this

You get Americans to do the work by offering them a fair wage.

By Rivers

March 1, 2006 10:54 AM | Link to this

I employee several hispanic workers. Some have produced green cards others have produced Ga drivers license and social security cards as required by the Federal I9 form for verification of legal status. Is it my role as an employer to verify the authenticity of these documents. If am employer is already complying with the Federal requirements what benefit is it to institute another layer of paper work to complete. If someone gives me forged documents why should I face criminal and civil penalties? I agree with the underlying philosphy - that people who enter our country and seek work should do so though the proper proceedures. Are you aware that it takes almost seven years to obtain a green card because of the inefficiencies of the immigration services. My opinion is that our borders security should be increased to prevent illegal entry but also that the process should be stream lined to encourage legal entry.