The Georgia Legislature is considering ways to solve the illegal immigration crisis. It is being constantly reminded that we have more illegal aliens than Arizona.
The solution is obvious: Enforcement. It works. Just like with any other crime.
Most illegal immigration is all about “JOBS, JOBS, JOBS!” Illegal aliens migrate out of every area in which jobs become unavailable and the law is enforced. And they take their budget-crashing dependents with them.
Genuine dedication from Gold Dome leadership in protecting American workers and driving illegals out of Georgia will be measured by the enthusiasm with which common sense enforcement measures are implemented in the 2011 session.
Some suggestions and goals:
First, foremost and beginning on day one: finish the job that was begun in 2006 with passage of the Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act (SB 529).
In part, GSICA requires local governments and official agencies that administer public benefits to use an affidavit system and a federal program called “SAVE” to verify the eligibility of applicants for those finite taxpayer funded benefits.
There is no penalty for any local government or department head for violation. It shows.
With 159 counties and 535 municipalities in Georgia, and a so-far unknown number of other state and local agencies that dole out public benefits, there are only 300 total agencies authorized to use SAVE as of Nov. 1, 2010. Don’t try this defiance at home.
The Association County Commissioners of Georgia and the Georgia Municipal Association have successfully beat back repeated attempts to add penalty language absent in the 2006 law. Both anti-enforcement groups must be exposed and overcome if we are serious about reserving benefits for legal immigrants and voting citizens.
The entire 2006 Georgia immigration law, then the toughest in the nation, should be re-examined, overhauled and strengthened. Compliance will only come with constant monitoring, audits and meaningful sanctions and enforcement.
D.A. King is a nationally recognized authority on illegal immigration and president of the Georgia-based Dustin Inman Society (https://www.thedustininmansociety.org/)