SEC=UGA Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 We had a brief conversation about this a few weeks ago. It appears that AZ is trying to force employers to use E-Verify (GA is attempting the same) and on cue the immigrant rights groups, agri-business and the construction lobby come marching in... Georgia industries are now weighing in on tough new legislation aimed at illegal immigration here, urging lawmakers to tread cautiously so they won’t do irreparable damage to the state’s economy. In testifying before a Senate subcommittee Monday, representatives from the state’s agricultural and commercial construction industries singled out provisions in Senate Bill 40 that would require certain businesses to use E-Verify to make sure newly hired employees are eligible to work in this country. Critics say E-Verify, a federal program, has accuracy problems and can be burdensome for businesses. A coalition of businesses and immigrant rights groups is suing to stop a similar law in Arizona that requires all businesses to use E-Verify, arguing that it is unconstitutional. Federal officials, meanwhile, say they are improving the free E-Verify program's accuracy. It automatically confirms 98 percent of employees as being eligible to work in the United States, a federal report says. In all, the subcommittee heard Monday from about six speakers, all of whom were critical of the legislation. Before the nearly two-hour-long hearing began, the bill’s sponsor called the legislation “a work in progress” and said revisions were on the way. Sen. Jack Murphy, R-Cumming, said he intended to meet with the business groups and others as he “redefines and tightens up the language” in the bill. “The bill that you have before you is not the bill that we will probably ultimately come out with,” Murphy told a subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday. The subcommittee chairman -- Sen. John Crosby, R-Tifton -- said he planned to hold a few more hearings on the legislation, with the next one occurring this week. Bryan Tolar, president of the Georgia Agribusiness Council, was among those who spoke to the Senate subcommittee Monday. Tolar underscored the importance of agriculture in Georgia’s economy, saying it is a $68.8 billion industry. “When I read this bill and we talk about requirements for e-verification, I see a shrinking of Georgia’s agricultural economy,” Tolar said of Senate Bill 40. “Are we setting ourselves up to turn the tables on our economy instead of to grow our economy?” While Murphy was crafting his legislation last year, the Georgia Farm Bureau -- which represents nearly 400,000 families -- declared illegal immigration “is a federal issue, not a state or local issue." A spokesman for Georgia’s commercial construction industry sounded the same theme at Monday’s hearing, saying the issue is “best addressed by Congress.” “We would just urge you to be very cautious as you move forward and not put business in harm’s way while trying to address a real problem,” said Mark Woodall, director of governmental affairs for the Georgia branch of Associated General Contractors of America, which represents commercial construction companies. Murphy said he is sensitive about the impact that legislation could have on businesses. Regarding the E-Verify requirement in his bill, he highlighted how his legislation exempts businesses that participate in certain federal programs that allow foreign workers to legally come to the United States and temporarily work in numerous fields, including the agricultural industry. Critics of those programs, however, say they can be expensive and that smaller businesses don't have the resources to participate in them. “Do we want immigration reform or do we not want immigration reform?” Murphy said in an interview after the hearing. “They are going to have to figure out a way to make sure the employees they are hiring -- even for seasonal work -- are here legally. And there is a way to do it. It is just going to be uncomfortable for them to do it.” Some critics had other concerns Monday. Similar to Arizona’s tough new law, Murphy’s bill would require police to investigate the immigration status of certain people they reasonably suspect of being in the country illegally. It also would authorize police to arrest them if they are in the country illegally and transport them to a federal jail. Francis Mulcahy, executive director of the Georgia Catholic Conference -- which serves as the voice of the state’s Catholic bishops -- said the conference is concerned about racial profiling stemming from Murphy’s legislation, saying a provision in the bill aimed at preventing that needs to be toughened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 The businesses that don't want it are afraid of being caught hiring illegals. The immigrant groups, well, that's obvious. Burdensome for business? Bah. So is not lobbing your crap in the Mississippi, so is making sure your drivers have proper driving licenses and on and on. There's absolutely no excuse for not using it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpwallace49 Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 The businesses that don't want it are afraid of being caught hiring illegals. The immigrant groups, well, that's obvious. Burdensome for business? Bah. So is not lobbing your crap in the Mississippi, so is making sure your drivers have proper driving licenses and on and on. There's absolutely no excuse for not using it. Agreed. Take away their jobs and see how many of them stay . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yo mama Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Agreed. Take away their jobs and see how many of them stay . . You'd be surprised. A lot of illegals have been here for a long time, own homes, have kids who are US citizens, etc. Many illegals came here as children and have no recollection of their country of origin. Those folks probably aren't leaving. The real value of E-verify is that it discourages new illegal immigrants from coming here in the first place. So its a good thing, but its not a perfect solution. Some form of legalization for law-abiding, tax-paying, English-speaking immigrants who actually want to be AMERICANS simply must be part of the equation. The is no practical way around that, assuming people actually want a solution and not just political points. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpwallace49 Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 You'd be surprised. A lot of illegals have been here for a long time, own homes, have kids who are US citizens, etc. Many illegals came here as children and have no recollection of their country of origin. Those folks probably aren't leaving. The real value of E-verify is that it discourages new illegal immigrants from coming here in the first place. So its a good thing, but its not a perfect solution. Some form of legalization for law-abiding, tax-paying, English-speaking immigrants who actually want to be AMERICANS simply must be part of the equation. The is no practical way around that, assuming people actually want a solution and not just political points. Agreed as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 The real value of E-verify is that it discourages new illegal immigrants from coming here in the first place. So its a good thing, but its not a perfect solution. It does catch existing illegals though, and many of them. The search for a perfect solution should not stand in the way of utilizing the imperfect for the time being. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
untateve Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Bryan Tolar, president of the Georgia Agribusiness Council, was among those who spoke to the Senate subcommittee Monday. Tolar underscored the importance of agriculture in Georgia’s economy, saying it is a $68.8 billion industry. “When I read this bill and we talk about requirements for e-verification, I see a shrinking of Georgia’s agricultural economy,” Tolar said of Senate Bill 40. “Are we setting ourselves up to turn the tables on our economy instead of to grow our economy?” While Murphy was crafting his legislation last year, the Georgia Farm Bureau -- which represents nearly 400,000 families -- declared illegal immigration “is a federal issue, not a state or local issue." A spokesman for Georgia’s commercial construction industry sounded the same theme at Monday’s hearing, saying the issue is “best addressed by Congress.” “We would just urge you to be very cautious as you move forward and not put business in harm’s way while trying to address a real problem,” said Mark Woodall, director of governmental affairs for the Georgia branch of Associated General Contractors of America, which represents commercial construction companies. It's surprising that these American businesses seem to be against something that would help prevent them from hiring illegal aliens. I would think that they would want to give these jobs to American citizens. What possible reason is there for these American businesses to want to continue hiring illegal aliens? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazinib1 Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 It's surprising that these American businesses seem to be against something that would help prevent them from hiring illegal aliens. I would think that they would want to give these jobs to American citizens. What possible reason is there for these American businesses to want to continue hiring illegal aliens? Because as horrible as it sounds, this country runs on cheap illegal labor. Wanna create jobs? Well here you go. Illegal's are a nice chunk of the unemployment problem throughout this country. Big Business and small business alike are fueled with cheap labor...and its not gonna go away anytime soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McBoog Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 You could go as far to say, get rid of all the illegals and cut welfare. That would motivate people to take the jobs "Americans aren't willing to do". However, we will never be able to get them all out of the country. I say we charge an annual fee for a guest worker card (to pay for the program), but that it does not provide a pathway to citizenship. If they want that, they can get in line with all the other people who are doing it the legal way, like my wife and I did. The reality to E-Verify (and I work for the agency that runs it) is that in its current form it is a joke! Unless you make it MANDATORY, which it is not, it will be another useless government tool. I think out of the million + businesses in the US, only a thousand or so businesses are voluntarily using the tool. I could check on the numbers if it is important, but as I said, in its current form it is about as useless as a... (include favorite euphemism here). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 The reality to E-Verify (and I work for the agency that runs it) is that in its current form it is a joke! Unless you make it MANDATORY, which it is not, it will be another useless government tool. I think out of the million + businesses in the US, only a thousand or so businesses are voluntarily using the tool. I could check on the numbers if it is important, but as I said, in its current form it is about as useless as a... (include favorite euphemism here). It is not the tool that is at fault but, as you say, the mandate or lack thereof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazinib1 Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 in its current form it is about as useless as ... (Captain Hook at a gynaecologists convention). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Country Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 it is about as useless as ... (telling taz to only WATCH your beer while you take a piss). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yo mama Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 It does catch existing illegals though, and many of them. The search for a perfect solution should not stand in the way of utilizing the imperfect for the time being. Agreed. I like the idea - not saying we should avoid using it because it isn't perfect. Merely that *if* we are searching for a true solution it'll be a combination of approaches that will probably include: (1) better government enforcement; (2) some rational legalization (probably a combo of worker visas and citizenship); (3) real cooperation by employers (including people who pick up day labors at Home Deport, or get Guatemalan nannies) ; and (4) better international cooperation (primarily from Mexico) to fix things up on their end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
untateve Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Because as horrible as it sounds, this country runs on cheap illegal labor. Wanna create jobs? Well here you go. Illegal's are a nice chunk of the unemployment problem throughout this country. Big Business and small business alike are fueled with cheap labor...and its not gonna go away anytime soon. So are you saying that we as Americans should embrace the illegal immigrants because otherwise labor costs will go up and our overall costs will go up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaterMan Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Why do these people hate America by proposing this law? We've used illegals for work since the beginning of Ah-Murrika. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazinib1 Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 So are you saying that we as Americans should embrace the illegal immigrants because otherwise labor costs will go up and our overall costs will go up? Penny Lane no. Just pointing out reality at the moment and how sad that is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polksalet Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 Agreed. Take away their jobs and see how many of them stay . . There's a special place in hell for racists like you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.