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AJC.com > Legislature > Blog > Archives > 2006 > March > 08
Wednesday, March 8, 2006
Senate approves Immigration Compliance Act
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The state Senate today passed the “Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act,” the most comprehensive attempt at immigration reform ever to come before the state Legislature, on a 40-13 vote.
The proposal, also known as Senate Bill 529, now moves to the state House of Representatives.
Senators passed the complex proposal after two hours of muted debate.
State Sen. Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) began outlining Senate Bill 529 at 1 p.m., setting the stage for what is expected to be a contentious debate on the issue.
“I wish the federal government had protected our borders, but they have failed,” said Rogers, who authored the legislation.
The Senate debate was preceded by a morning rally on the Capitol steps at which advocates for the immigrant community condemned Rogers’ proposal as “unjust, inhumane and unconstitutional.”
Rogers’ bill has widespread support in the Legislature, and is expected to become law. Polls show that more than 80 percent of Georgians want the Legislature to confront the issue.
The bill would financially punish employers who hire illegal workers, prohibit anyone with a public contract from hiring undocumented workers, prohibit adult illegal immigrants from getting many public benefits, and it would crack down on human trafficking.
Rogers’ bill would not deny emergency health care to illegals and it would not prohibit their children from attending public schools — the federal courts have guaranteed those benefits.
Debate on the bill came after two public hearings and a half-dozen town hall-style meetings about the proposal.
Rogers argued immigration is a state and local issue as well as a federal issue.
Senate President Pro Tempore Eric Johnson (R-Savannah) argued illegal immigrants are overburdening state schools, prisons and the health care system. He said Georgia spent $92 million last year in Medicaid funds on emergency health care for illegal immigrants.
“Our heart has no limit, but out pocketbook does,” Johnson said.
Johnson said America is now a “rainbow of people” but should be a country that “ wants to export a higher standard of living to other people, not import a lower standard of living to ours.”
He said 12 million illegals are now in the nation,a number that is growing by 500,000 a year. Georgia, he said, has the 7th largest illegal population in the United States.
“This put a huge burden on our state and our economy we simply cannot keep up with,” he said.
Johnson took issue with critics who argue the state should wait for the federal government to act on the issue.
“We’ve waited long enough,” he said. “If the federal government cannot or will not control the U.S. borders then it’s time for the state to do what they can.”
Permalink | | Categories: Breaking news
Hispanics flood Capitol to protest immigration bill
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Dozens of Hispanic immigrants flooded the halls of the state Capitol today to voice their concerns over a bill under debate in the Senate that seeks to crack down on undocumented workers in Georgia.
Organizers of a morning rally on the Capitol steps urged the crowd of about 100 – mostly Hispanic men – to go inside to urge legislators to vote against Senate Bill 529, known as the “Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act.”
About half of the crowd lingered outside, in part because a photo identification is required to enter the Capitol building.
Inside, many of the immigrants – some of them whom acknowledged they are undocumented – crowded hallways outside of the Senate chamber. Many of them wore blue jeans, t-shirts, stained painter’s pants, cowboy hats and ball caps, standing out from the suit-and-tie Capitol crowd that usually gathers in the halls.
Jerry Gonzalez of the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials guided several men through a legislative phone-and-photo directory, helping them pick out certain legislators with whom to speak. Many busily filled out message forms for legislators in hopes of getting them to come out of the Senate to hear them out.
Gonzalez said some of the men in the crowd who speak English were helping the Spanish-speakers to communicate with legislators.
“We want to put a face with immigrants,” Gonzalez said. “Many of these immigrants live in their districts. Legislators should consider them their constituents.”
About 1 p.m., when debate over Sen. Chip Rogers’ (R-Woodstock) bill began, the majority of the immigrants moved up to the public gallery overlooking the floor of the Senate to watch the debate. Pablo Lopez, 28, of Gwinnett County, took a day off from his landscaping job to watch the debate in person.
Lopez, who acknowledged that he is an undocumented worker from Mexico, said he thought it was important to let legislators know immigrants are disturbed by the bill. Lopez noted that federal and state taxes are taken out of his paycheck every week. He wants to start his own landscaping business, but cannot do so because of his lack of legal status in the country.
“We work hard and I think it’s time they recognize the work we do,” Lopez said.
Permalink | Comments (7) | Categories: Breaking news
Rally on Capitol steps protests illegal immigration bill
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Opponents of a bill targeting illegal immigration in Georgia rallied on the Capitol steps today, just hours before the state Senate is expected to take up the measure.
The rally was organized by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. Speakers from MALDEF, the Anti-Defamation League, the Georgia Catholic Conference, Coalition for the People’s Agenda and other groups spoke out against Senate Bill 529.
SB 529, sponsored by Sen. Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock), also known as the “Georgia Security Immigration and Compliance Act” is scheduled for debate on the Senate floor today.
The bill seeks to ensure illegal immigrants do not get taxpayer-provided benefits to which they are not entitled, prevent employers from claiming wages paid to undocumented workers as a tax deduction and require law enforcement officials to notify federal immigration authorities when they have arrested an illegal immigrant.
About 100 or so participants stood outside of the Capitol, some holding signs that read “No Human Being Is Illegal” and “Vote No to SB 529.” Fabio Sotelo, a priest at the San Miguel church in Gainesville, came to the rally with about 50 of his parishioners – the majority of whom are Hispanic immigrants. “You are not terrorists,” Sotelo told the crowd. “You are here to search for a better life. You have believed the promise of a nation that promotes peace and justice in the world.”
“We want to be heard,” said Javier Martinez, 31, an undocumented worker from Mexico who held a sign reading “Healthcare For Everyone.”
Martinez, one of Sotelo’s parishioners, said he came to the U.S. 10 years ago to work, but laws restricting illegal immigrants from obtaining driver’s licenses and other services make life difficult. “All the doors are closed,” he said.
Tisha Tallman, regional counsel for MALDEF’s Atlanta office, opened the rally by criticizing Rogers’ legislation as “unfair, unjust and inequitable.” She also said it is unconstitutional. MALDEF officials have said they might file a lawsuit challenging the legislation if it is passed.
Tallman told the crowd that Rogers’ bill will not cause undocumented workers to leave the United States or stop the flow of illegal immigrants coming in. “SB 529 does nothing to fix the situation.”
Tallman and others said the bill will only feed public fear and distrust without recognizing the importance of immigrant labor to Georgia’s industries, including agriculture, construction, manufacturing and poultry processing. Other speakers said the bill is sowing anti-immigrant sentiment and hate only to further the political aspirations of those who pursue such legislation.
“The bill does nothing but add back to those good ol’ Jim Crow laws of racial profiling,” said Helen Butler of the Coalition for the People’s Agenda, an Atlanta civil rights group headed by the Rev. Joseph Lowery. “Don’t punish people who work hard for themselves and their families.”
Organizers of the rally encouraged participants to go inside the Capitol to lobby legislators against the bill – but noted repeatedly that a photo identification was required to enter the building. Many were later inside the Capitol.
The amateur lobbyists face an uphill battle, as the bill is expected to pass the Senate with bi-partisan support.
Permalink | Comments (7) | Categories: Breaking news
Perdue banged up playing racquetball
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Gov. Sonny Perdue was sporting workout attire and a few stitches when he arrived at the state Capitol on Wednesday morning.
Perdue, a regular racquetball player at nearby Georgia State University, hit the wall - not the ball - in an early morning game.
He had stitches in his right eyebrow, as well as blood on his T-shirt.
Asked how many stitches he received, a cheery Perdue said, “I didn’t ask.”
Permalink | | Categories: Breaking news
Public money for private ventures
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Should taxpayer money be used to bring jobs and visitors to Georgia? The Georgia Legislature and the city of Atlanta dangled milliions of dollars of taxpayer-financed incentives in its unsuccessful bid to snare the NASCAR Hall of Fame downtown. Now they are talking about making the same offers in hopes of getting AT & T to relocate its headquarters to Atlanta. Some elected officials believe tax breaks, publicly-financed loans, and government grants help entice big-time tourist attractions and corporate giants to the state. Do you think that’s a proper use of taxpayer money?
