Marietta Daily Journal

Bill would mandate E-verify participation
by Katy Ruth Camp

February 25, 2010

ATLANTA – State representatives continue to introduce legislation aimed at decreasing jobs given to those in the country illegally.

State Rep. Bobby Reese (R-Sugar Hill) on Tuesday filed the Georgia Employer and Worker Protection of Act of 2010, also known as House Bill 1259. If passed, the bill would require all Georgia businesses to sign an affidavit agreeing to participate in the federal citizenship verification program E-Verify in order to obtain a business license or occupational tax certificate. Currently, only public entities such as municipalities and state agencies are required to participate in E-Verify per 2006’s Senate Bill 529…

HERE

The USCIS synopsis of key findings HERE

HERE is the full Westat report discussed in the media today.

The following is a commonsense, useful synopsis quote concerning the 54% figure discussed in this story:

C. How does Westat’s estimated inaccuracy rate for unauthorized workers (the 3.3% in Graph 1) relate to the 54 percent statistic in the Westat report?

Answer: Westat estimates that overall, E-Verify queries result in an accurate response 96 percent of the time and an inaccurate response 4.1 percent of the time. But only 6.2 percent of all E-Verify queries relate to unauthorized workers. Primarily due to identity fraud, E-Verify only correctly found that unauthorized workers – not all workers – were not work authorized about half (54 percent) of the time. As a result, the 54 percent statistic relates only to the 6.2 percent figure, as shown in Graph 1 above, and means that of all E-Verify queries, only approximately 3.3 percent are for unauthorized workers that were incorrectly found work authorized.

Here’s another useful truth: “Westat found that employers using E-Verify were generally satisfied with the program and indicated that it was not burdensome (99 out of 104 employers report being generally satisfied). “

Let’s merge!

Travel Alert

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Bureau of Consular Affairs

This information is current as of today, Wed Feb 24 06:37:20 2010.

Mexico – Security

February 22, 2010

The Department of State has issued this Travel Alert to update security information for U.S. citizens traveling to and living in Mexico. It supersedes the Travel Alert for Mexico dated August 20, 2009, and expires on August 20, 2010.

While millions of U.S. citizens safely visit Mexico each year (including tens of thousands who cross the land border every day for study, tourism or business and nearly one million U.S. citizens who live in Mexico), violence in the country has increased. It is imperative that U.S. citizens understand the risks in Mexico, how best to avoid dangerous situations, and whom to contact if one becomes a crime victim. Common-sense precautions such as visiting only legitimate business and tourist areas during daylight hours, and avoiding areas where prostitution and drug dealing might occur, can help ensure that travel to Mexico is safe and enjoyable.
Recent violent attacks have caused the U.S. Embassy to urge U.S. citizens to delay unnecessary travel to parts of Michoacán, Durango, Coahuila and Chihuahua (see details below), and to advise U.S. citizens residing or traveling in those areas to exercise extreme caution. Drug cartels and associated criminal elements have retaliated violently against individuals who speak out against them or whom they otherwise view as a threat to their organization. These attacks include the abduction and murder of two resident U.S. citizens in Chihuahua.

Violence Along the U.S. – Mexico Border

Mexican drug cartels are engaged in violent conflict – both among themselves and with Mexican security services – for control of narcotics trafficking routes along the U.S.-Mexico border. In order to combat violence, the government of Mexico has deployed military troops throughout the country. U.S. citizens should cooperate fully with official checkpoints when traveling on Mexican highways.

Some recent Mexican army and police confrontations with drug cartels have resembled small-unit combat, with cartels employing automatic weapons and grenades. Large firefights have taken place in towns and cities across Mexico, but occur mostly in northern Mexico, including Ciudad Juarez, Tijuana, Chihuahua City, Nogales, Matamoros, Reynosa and Monterrey. During some of these incidents, U.S. citizens have been trapped and temporarily prevented from leaving the area. The U.S. Mission in Mexico currently restricts non-essential travel for U.S. government employees assigned to Mexico within the state of Durango, the northwest quadrant of the state of Chihuahua and an area southeast of Ciudad Juarez, and all parts of the state of Coahuila south of Mexican Highways 25 and 22 and the Alamos River. This restriction was implemented in light of the recent increase in assaults, murders, and kidnappings in those three states.

The situation in northern Mexico remains fluid; the location and timing of future armed engagements cannot be predicted. Recently, the cities of Durango and Gomez Palacio in the state of Durango, and the area known as “La Laguna” in the state of Coahuila, which includes the city of Torreon, experienced sharp increases in violence. In late 2009 and early 2010, four visiting U.S. citizens were murdered in Gomez Palacio, Durango. These are among several unsolved murders in the state of Durango that have been cause for particular concern.

A number of areas along the border continue to experience a rapid growth in crime. Robberies, homicides, petty thefts, and carjackings have all increased over the last year across Mexico, with notable spikes in Chihuahua, Sinaloa, and northern Baja California. Ciudad Juarez, Tijuana and Nogales are among the cities which have experienced public shootouts during daylight hours in shopping centers and other public venues. Criminals have followed and harassed U.S. citizens traveling in their vehicles in border areas including Nuevo Laredo, Matamoros, and Tijuana. Travelers on the highways between Monterrey and other parts of Mexico to the United States (notably through Nuevo Laredo and Matamoros) have been targeted for robbery and violence and have also inadvertently been caught in incidents of gunfire between criminals and Mexican law enforcement. Such incidents are more likely to occur at night but may occur at any time.

The situation in the state of Chihuahua, specifically Ciudad Juarez, is of special concern. The U.S. Consulate General recommends that American citizens defer non-essential travel to the Guadalupe Bravo area southeast of Ciudad Juarez and to the northwest quarter of the state of Chihuahua including the city of Nuevo Casas Grandes and surrounding communities. From the United States, these areas are often reached through the Columbus, NM and Fabens and Fort Hancock, TX ports-of-entry. In both areas, American citizens have been victims of drug related violence.

Mexican authorities report that more than 2,600 people were killed in Ciudad Juarez in 2009. Additionally, this city of 1.3 million people experienced more than 16,000 car thefts and 1,900 carjackings in 2009. U.S. citizens should pay close attention to their surroundings while traveling in Ciudad Juarez, avoid isolated locations during late night and early morning hours, and remain alert to news reports. Visa and other service seekers visiting the Consulate are encouraged to make arrangements to pay for those services using a non-cash method.

U.S. citizens are urged to be alert to safety and security concerns when visiting the border region. Criminals are armed with a wide array of sophisticated weapons. In some cases, assailants have worn full or partial police or military uniforms and have used vehicles that resemble police vehicles. While most crime victims are Mexican citizens, the uncertain security situation poses serious risks for U.S. citizens as well. U.S. citizen victims of crime in Mexico are urged to contact the consular section of the nearest U.S. consulate or Embassy for advice and assistance. Contact information is provided at the end of this message.

Crime and Violence Throughout Mexico

U.S. citizens traveling throughout Mexico should exercise caution in unfamiliar areas and be aware of their surroundings at all times. Bystanders have been injured or killed in violent attacks in cities across the country, demonstrating the heightened risk of violence in public places. In recent years, dozens of U.S. citizens living in Mexico have been kidnapped and most of their cases remain unsolved. U.S. citizens who believe they are being targeted for kidnapping or other crimes should notify Mexican law enforcement officials and the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City or the nearest U.S. consulate as soon as possible. U.S. visitors who suspect they are a target should consider returning to the United States immediately. U.S. citizens should be aware that many cases of violent crime are never resolved by Mexican law enforcement, and the U.S. government has no authority to investigate crimes committed in Mexico.

U.S. citizens should make every attempt to travel on main roads during daylight hours, particularly the toll (“cuota”) roads, which generally are more secure. When warranted, the U.S. Embassy and consulates advise their employees as well as private U.S. citizens to avoid certain areas, abstain from driving on certain roads because of dangerous conditions or criminal activity, or recommend driving during daylight hours only. When this happens, the Embassy or the affected consulate will alert the local U.S. citizen Warden network and post the information on their respective websites, indicating the nature of the concern and the expected time period for which the restriction will remain in place.

U.S. citizen visitors are encouraged to stay in the well-known tourist areas. Travelers should leave their itinerary with a friend or family member not traveling with them, avoid traveling alone, and check with their cellular provider prior to departure to confirm that their cell phone is capable of roaming on GSM or 3G international networks. Do not display expensive-looking jewelry, large amounts of money, or other valuable items. Travelers to remote or isolated hunting or fishing venues should be aware that they may be distant from appropriate medical, law enforcement, and consular services in an emergency situation.

Demonstrations and Large Public Gatherings

Demonstrations occur frequently throughout Mexico and usually are peaceful. However, even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate to violence unexpectedly. Violent demonstrations have resulted in deaths, including that of an American citizen in Oaxaca in 2006. In 2008, a Mexican Independence Day celebration was the target of a violent attack. During demonstrations or law enforcement operations, U.S. citizens are advised to remain in their homes or hotels, avoid large crowds, and avoid the downtown and surrounding areas. Since the timing and routes of scheduled marches and demonstrations are always subject to change, U.S. citizens should monitor local media sources for new developments and exercise extreme caution while within the vicinity of protests.

The Mexican Constitution prohibits political activities by foreigners, and such actions may result in detention and/or deportation. U.S. citizens are therefore advised to avoid participating in demonstrations or other activities that might be deemed political by Mexican authorities. As is always the case in any large gathering, U.S. citizens should remain alert to their surroundings.

Further Information

For more detailed information on staying safe in Mexico, please see the Mexico Country Specific Information. Information on security and travel to popular tourist destinations is also provided in the publication: “Spring Break in Mexico- Know Before You Go!!”

For the latest security information, U.S. citizens traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department’s internet web site at http://travel.state.gov/ where the current Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, and Travel Alerts can be found. Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the United States and Canada, or, for callers from Mexico, a regular toll line at 001-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). American citizens traveling or residing overseas are encouraged to register with the appropriate U.S. Embassy or Consulate on the State Department’s travel registration website at https://travelregistration.state.gov/.

For any emergencies involving U.S. citizens in Mexico, please contact the U.S. Embassy or the closest U.S. Consulate. The U.S. Embassy is located in Mexico City at Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, telephone from the United States: 011-52-55-5080-2000; telephone within Mexico City: 5080-2000; telephone long distance within Mexico 01-55-5080-2000. You may also contact the Embassy by e-mail at: ACSMexicoCity@state.gov The Embassy’s internet address is http://www.usembassy-mexico.gov/.

Consulates:

Ciudad Juarez: Paseo de la Victoria 3650, tel. (011)(52)(656) 227-3000. http://ciudadjuarez.usconsulate.gov/.

Guadalajara: Progreso 175, telephone (011)(52)(333) 268-2100. http://guadalajara.usconsulate.gov/.

Hermosillo: Avenida Monterrey 141, telephone (011)(52)(662) 289-3500. http://hermosillo.usconsulate.gov/.

Matamoros: Avenida Primera 2002, telephone (011)(52)(868) 812-4402. http://matamoros.usconsulate.gov/.

Merida: Calle 60 no. 338-K x 29 y 31, Col. Alcala Martin, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico 97050, telephone (011)(52)(999) 942-5700 or 202-250-3711 (U.S. number). http://merida.usconsulate.gov/.

Monterrey: Avenida Constitucion 411 Poniente, telephone (011)(52)(818) 047-3100. http://monterrey.usconsulate.gov/.

Nogales: Calle San Jose, Nogales, Sonora, telephone (011)(52)(631) 311-8150. http://nogales.usconsulate.gov/.

Nuevo Laredo: Calle Allende 3330, col. Jardin, telephone (011)(52)(867) 714-0512. http://nuevolaredo.usconsulate.gov/.

Tijuana: Tapachula 96, telephone (011)(52)(664) 622-7400. http://tijuana.usconsulate.gov/service.html.

Consular Agencies:

Acapulco: Hotel Continental Emporio, Costera Miguel Aleman 121 – local 14, telephone (011)(52)(744) 484-0300 or (011)(52)(744) 469-0556.

Cabo San Lucas: Blvd. Marina local c-4, Plaza Nautica, col. Centro, telephone (011)(52)(624) 143-3566.

Cancún: Plaza Caracol two, second level, no. 320-323, Boulevard Kukulcan, km. 8.5, Zona Hotelera, telephone (011)(52)(998) 883-0272 or, 202-640-2511 (a U.S. number).

Ciudad Acuña: Closed until further notice.

Cozumel: Plaza Villa Mar en el Centro, Plaza Principal, (Parque Juárez between Melgar and 5th ave.) 2nd floor, locales #8 and 9, telephone (011)(52)(987) 872-4574 or, 202-459-4661 (a U.S. number).

Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo: Hotel Fontan, Blvd. Ixtapa, telephone (011)(52)(755) 553-2100.

Mazatlán: Playa Gaviotas #202, Zona Dorada, telephone (011)(52)(669) 916-5889.

Oaxaca: Macedonio Alcalá no. 407, interior 20, telephone (011)(52)(951) 514-3054, (011) (52)(951) 516-2853.

Piedras Negras: Abasolo #211, Zona Centro, Piedras Negras, Coah., Tel. (011)(52)(878) 782-5586.

Playa del Carmen: “The Palapa,” Calle 1 Sur, between Avenida 15 and Avenida 20, telephone (011)(52)(984) 873-0303 or 202-370-6708(a U.S. number).

Puerto Vallarta: Paradise Plaza, Paseo de los Cocoteros #1, Local #4, Interior #17, Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit, telephone (011)(52)(322) 222-0069.

Reynosa: Calle Monterrey #390, Esq. Sinaloa, Colonia Rodríguez, telephone: (011)(52)(899) 923 – 9331.

San Luis Potosí: Edificio “Las Terrazas”, Avenida Venustiano Carranza 2076-41, Col. Polanco, telephone: (011)(52)(444) 811-7802/7803.

San Miguel de Allende: Dr. Hernandez Macias #72, telephone (011)(52)(415) 152-2357 or (011)(52)(415) 152-0068.

REVIEW & OUTLOOK (Editorial): In Praise of Huddled Masses
Wall Street Journal (Eastern edition). New York, N.Y.: Jul 3, 1984. pg. 1

Amid the fireworks and picnics as this nation celebrates its independence tomorrow, we hope Americans stop to ask, what is the United States? The question is especially appropriate at this moment in the history of a nation of immigrants; upon returning from its July 4 recess Congress will try to finish work on the Simpson-Mazzoli bill.

The answer to the question is in the first words of our Constitution, “We, the people.” It was the people, and especially new people, who worked this land into a New World. We hope today’s gentlepeople, the descendants of the tired and poor who sought refuge on these shores, can still spare a thought for today’s huddled masses, yearning to be free.

Simpson-Mazzoli, we are repeatedly told, is a carefully crafted compromise. It is in fact an anti-immigration bill. Note well that despite its grant of amnesty for aliens who have been residents long enough, its most outspoken opponents are the Hispanics, who would prefer to live with the present laws. Its constituency is an interesting and perhaps portentous alliance of the “nativist” Americans who still dominate Mountain States politics and the “Club of Rome” elitists of the Boston-Washington corridor.

We can hope that the bill will die in the House-Senate conference, which still must resolve such contentious differences as whether or not to have a program of temporary guest workers for agriculture. If it survives conference, President Reagan would be wise to veto it as antithetical to the national self-confidence his administration has done so much to renew.

If Washington still wants to “do something” about immigration, we propose a five-word constitutional amendment: There shall be open borders. Perhaps this policy is overly ambitious in today’s world, but the U.S. became the world’s envy by trumpeting precisely this kind of heresy. Our greatest heresy is that we believe in people as the great resource of our land. Those who would live in freedom have voted over the centuries with their feet. Wherever the state abused its people, beginning with the Puritan pilgrims and continuing today in places like Ho Chi Minh City and Managua, they’ve aimed for our shores. They — we — have astonished the world with the country’s success.

The nativist patriots scream for “control of the borders.” It is nonsense to believe that this unenforceable legislation will provide any such thing. Does anyone want to “control the borders” at the moral expense of a 2,000-mile Berlin Wall with minefields, dogs and machine-gun towers? Those who mouth this slogan forget what America means. They want those of us already safely ensconced to erect giant signs warning: Keep Out, Private Property.

The instinct is seconded by the “zero-sum” mentality that has been intellectually faddish this past decade. More people, the worry runs, will lead to overcrowding; will use up all our “resources,” and will cause unemployment. Trembling no-growthers cry that we’ll never “feed,” “house” or “clothe” all the immigrants — though the immigrants want to feed, house and clothe themselves. In fact, people are the great resource, and so long as we keep our economy free, more people means more growth, the more the merrier. Somehow the Reagan administration at least momentarily adopted the cramped Club-of-Rome vision, forgetting which side of this debate it is supposed to support. Ronald Reagan, we thought, marched to different bywords — “growth,” for example, and “opportunity.”

If anyone doubts that the immigration and growth issue touches the fundamental character of a nation, he should look to recent experience in Europe. Some European governments are taken in by the no-growth nonsense that economic pies no longer grow, and must be sliced. They are actually paying immigrants and guest workers to go home: the Germans pay Turks, the French pay North Africans, the British pay West Indians and Asians. It was this dour view of people as liabilities, not assets, that led to the great European emigration to the U.S. in the first place. Meanwhile, Europe today settles into long-term unemployment for millions while the U.S. economy is booming with new jobs.

The same underlying difference in vision applies in political ideals. The individual is the lightning rod of 20th-century politics. The totalitarians of the Communist Bloc don’t allow their people to leave. The foremost use of the machinery of the state is to wall in the citizens. If we cannot change their regimes, the least we can do is to offer refuge to those of their peoples with the opportunity and courage to arrive here. To do otherwise is to say that the ideals upon which this Republic was founded are spent, that what is left is to negotiate the terms of surrender.

America, above all, is a nation founded upon optimism. The Republic will prosper so long as it does not disavow this taproot. The issue is not what we offer the teeming masses, but what they offer us: their hands, their minds, their spirit, and above all the chance to be true to our own past and our own future.

Comments [moderated

HERE

Program that IDs jailed illegal immigrants sought for deportation gets high marks

By N.C. Aizenman
Monday, February 22, 2010; B01

For nearly a year, Fairfax County’s Adult Detention Center has quietly helped pilot a far-reaching program designed to identify criminal illegal immigrants and assist the federal government in removing them from the United States.

Although controversy over civil liberties issues has surrounded similar efforts, the Fairfax program, Secure Communities, has had a lower profile. It automatically checks the digital fingerprints of anyone processed at the jail against immigration databases maintained by the Department of Homeland Security. If someone is found to be an illegal immigrant whom officials want to deport, an officer of DHS’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, or ICE, calls the jail’s booking desk within an hour to place a “detainer” on the person…

HERE

Washington Times

Illegal immigration fell sharply in ’08

The number of illegal immigrants in the U.S. dropped by nearly 1 million from 2007 to 2009 as the Bush administration ramped up enforcement efforts and the economy took a dive, according to figures the Homeland Security Department released Tuesday…

HERE

Marietta Daily Journal
Ferruary 23, 2010

Grand jury probe sought for work at courthouse
by Katy Ruth Camp

COBB COUNTY – Cobb County Rep. Rob Teilhet (D-Smyrna) has asked county and federal prosecutors to open a grand jury investigation into allegations that illegal immigrants were employed at the construction site of the $63 million Cobb County Superior Courthouse.

In letters sent to Cobb District Attorney Pat Head and U.S. Attorney Sally Yates on Friday, Teilhet requested that each “consider empanelling a grand jury to investigate the relationship between the general contractor, subcontractor and sub subcontractor and what the respective parties knew or should have known about the illegal conduct at issue.”

Teilhet said a grand jury based out of Cobb could investigate whether Turner Construction, the general contractor, or Zebra Construction, the masonry subcontractor, violated state laws. Yates would have the authority to request that a federal grand jury investigate possible federal law violations. Teilhet also wrote that the juries should determine “whether similar conduct has occurred on other projects involving these same parties.”

Teilhet, a Democrat, is running for Attorney General, a job for which county Chairman Sam Olens, a Republican, is also campaigning.

Teilhet’s request comes at the heels of watchdog group Jobs for Georgians’ undercover investigation, during which member José Alvarez said he visited the site from November until January, posing as a bricklayer. Alvarez said he befriended many of the Zebra workers and has a recorded conversation with a blocklayer that proves those workers were being paid in cash, were not checked under the federal citizenship authorization program E-verify, and were not paying income or Social Security taxes.

Chip Kessler, president of Suwanee-based Zebra, said the contractor hired by his company to manage the blocklayers, Victor Candelaria, was pulled from the project Feb. 5 when they learned he was not enrolled in E-verify.

Alvarez estimates that 14 workers employed by the subcontractor were illegal immigrants.

“I think there are a lot more questions than answers, and a grand jury investigation could hopefully get to the bottom of all of this and get answers,” Teilhet said. “If hiring illegal workers on a construction site is a practice that is commonplace, as I think most people would say it seems to be, I think this would be a good opportunity to set an example to say that if you are doing this, there will be consequences.”

But District Attorney Pat Head said he is unsure why Teilhet would ask for a special grand jury investigation into the matter, as he interpreted his request, when the state legislature has no set consequences for employing illegal workers.

“Basically, the jury could make recommendations that Turner follow the law, but the legislature, which Rob is a part of, has no provisions for punishment. I’m just curious what he thinks could be accomplished by this, even if it happens,” Head said.

Teilhet acknowledged that there are no punishments established for second-tier subcontractors, like Candelaria, but said that the jury could find out whether the groups knew illegal workers were being employed and if Candelaria violated state laws by paying workers in cash without withholding taxes or insurance funds.

Head said that empanelling a special grand jury is an expensive process and the only special grand jury that has been empanelled in the history of Cobb County was when the Cobb School Board was investigated for the legality of then-Superintendent Joe Redden’s $100 million laptop proposal.

Head said that investigation lasted 14 months, with 25 citizens (23 at any one time) being paid $25 for each day they convened and two bailiffs each receiving $70 a day. The grand jury made no indictments, but did issue a list of recommendations to the board.

Normal grand jury investigations occur at two-month periods, with the next beginning on March 12. According to Head, jurors attend an orientation, where they are told they can choose to investigate any matters related to Cobb County government and assign members to a committee to investigate.

For a special grand jury to be empanelled, the Chief Judge of Cobb County has to take the issue to the Superior Court Council, who will then decide whether to empanel a jury. Head said that he filed a letter to the Chief Judge requesting an investigation into the school board’s actions, but that the Chief Judge could convene with the council without any recommendation from Head.

The District Attorney said he will likely write Teilhet a letter back, requesting more information about his purpose for wanting an investigation before deciding whether to take similar action.

Teilhet said his request leans more towards empanelling a special grand jury, as the situation is well-known across the county and is occurring on such a large, public project, but that he would defer to Head as to whether a regular grand jury could handle the investigation.

“I think Pat Head is a great District Attorney and I highly respect him, so I would certainly go along with whatever he felt was most appropriate,” Teilhet said.

Teilhet said one of the best results of a grand jury investigation would be to finally find and question Candelaria.

“With a grand jury paneling, Candelaria can be brought in, put under oath, and he and others can be forced to answer all of these questions that everyone is avoiding. Who is he? Does he really have a company, even though no one has a name for it or will provide that documentation? How was he hired? Was he really fired, or just moved to another project? Is he a sub sub or is he really part of Zebra? In the meantime, he is being given all of the blame, understandably, but Zebra and others claim to not know the name of his company or give anyone access to speak with him. If your subcontractor or sub sub has been proven and admitted to hiring illegal workers, you know the name of that company, if there is one. You know everything you need to know about him at least in the event ICE does investigate you, as Chairman Olens has requested,” Teilhet said.

On Feb. 11, Chairman Olens asked that the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agency investigate to determine whether any immigration laws were violated on the construction site.

But Teilhet said an ICE investigation could take a long time, which could create irreversible controversy considering that both Turner and Zebra continue to be employed and profit from the project.

“I agree with Sam that ICE should investigate the matter. But ICE is notorious for inaction and taking far too long to investigate these matters,” Teilhet said. “Grand jury investigations could happen very quickly, depending on what is found through the investigations. We need to make sure that nothing illegal is continuing to happen on the job site, and that these jobs are going to local, legal residents and that our money is being spent properly. Jobs in construction are perishable commodities. We need to know for sure that they are going to people who deserve them, especially in this economy, and that all parties responsible for not allowing that to happen be held accountable for their actions.”

HERE

Georgia House of Representatives Communication Office

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: J.D. Easley

Tuesday, February 23, 2010
(404) 656-031

john.easley@house.ga

Rep. Reese Introduces Georgia Employer and Worker Protection Act of 2010

ATLANTA — State Representative Bobby Reese (R-Sugar Hill) announced today the filing of The Georgia Employer and Worker Protection Act of 2010, House Bill 1259. This legislation is designed to protect jobs for Georgians by requiring Georgia businesses to participate in the E-Verify program as a condition for obtaining a business license or occupational tax certificate.

“Far too many of Georgia’s jobs have gone to people who escaped capture while crossing our borders in violation of American immigration laws,” said Representative Reese. “Statewide use of the proven, effective and successful E-Verify system will stop future jobs from going to illegal labor. In these desperate economic times, while we watch Georgian citizens and legal immigrants struggle with layoffs, it would be irresponsible to ignore this no-cost federal tool.”

E-Verify, created by an act of Congress in 1996, is an internet-based system that allows an employer, using information reported on an employee’s Form I-9, or Employment Eligibility Verification, to determine the eligibility of that employee to work in the United States. There is no charge to employers to use E-Verify, a system operated by the Department of Homeland Security in partnership with the Social Security Administration.

In Georgia, use of E-Verify is currently required by law for public employers and their contractors under the 2006 Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act.

Statewide use of the E-Verify system has been proven to successfully prevent future jobs from going to illegal labor. More than 184,000 employers are enrolled in the E-Verify program, with over 8.7 million queries run through the system in fiscal year 2009. As of January 30, 2010, there were over 4.2 million queries run through the system in fiscal year 2010.

“This bill would serve to protect both Georgia employers and lawful workers,” said Representative Reese. “It provides a ‘safe harbor’ for businesses that use E-Verify in good faith and verifies the eligibility of newly hired employees to work in the United States.”

Thirteen states, including South Carolina and Mississippi, have E-Verify legislation in place, with several more in various stages of legislative process.

For more information on HB 1259 please click here.

# # #

Representative Bobby Reese represents the citizens of District 98, which includes portions of Gwinnett County. He was elected into the House of Representatives in 2004, and currently serves as the Vice-Chairman of the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight Committee as well as Vice-Chairman of the Interstate Cooperation Committee. He also serves on the Appropriations, Banks & Banking, and Education Committees.

“The only way you’re going to get the illegal immigrant population in Georgia to go down is to legalize them or get rid of the jobs,” said Dowell Myers, a specialist in demographic trends at the University of Southern California. HERE

Ted Kennedy’s 1965 Immigration Reform Act opened the door to change the makeup of America as we know it. Kennedy himself said it would not, but it did. The video and corresponding transcript provides insight into the effects of immigration before and after his1965 legislation.