A brief GOP flirtation with a Georgia version of the Dream Act
A few minutes ago, the state Senate approved, on a 34-19 vote, a measure to bar illegal immigrants from Georgia’s 60 public colleges.
The topic, again, was fraught with emotion. But one of the more nuanced voices belonged to the leader of Senate Republicans in the chamber, President pro tem Tommie Williams, R-Lyons.
Williams represents south Georgia farm country, and he began by talking about the trouble blueberry, onion and corn farmers have had bringing in their crops since passage of last year’s Republican-backed bill to crack down on illegal immigration in Georgia.
“I have farmers that can’t get labor,” Williams said, predicting that the U.S. will soon begin importing food now raised in Georgia. “If you think dependence on oil is bad, wait ‘til we’re dependent on food.”
But Williams was just getting wound up. The Senate leader then turned to the matter of children in Georgia who would be barred from college – or anything other than an underground future under SB 458. Said Williams:
”The Dream Act…I actually think the Dream Act, or a modified version of it, it would help. I’ve got kids in my schools that are five to 10 years old, just about the size of my daughter – they didn’t come here on their own. They’ve never been, they have no memory of where their parents took them from. And yet the federal government tells us we need to educate them through the 12th grade. And then we say, no, you can’t go through the university system.
“I don’t know how to fix that problem. We’re trying to fix it here. But it’s really a problem the federal government ought to fix. I think they ought to pass some version of the Dream Act.”
Williams was among the GOP majority that voted for SB 458. But before his speech, Williams had passed out an amendment that would have created a Georgia version of the Dream Act – which he later withdrew before it was formally entered into the record. Here’s the gist, from the document:
After his speech, I asked Williams why he withdrew the amendment.
“I would love to do this, but the federal law says, if you do this for anybody in the state — [if] you make this benefit available as a public benefit – then you have to make it available to everybody in the country,” the Senate leader said.
So any young illegal immigrant from any state in the U.S. would be eligible, Williams said. And that would have opened the door too wide, even at out-of-state tuition prices.
Those of you who dismiss Williams’ comments out of hand need to look at this piece from Politico.com:
President Obama leads all his Republican rivals among Latino voters, according to a new poll released Monday.
According to the latest national Fox News Latino survey, none of the Republican contenders for the presidential nomination poll above 14 percent in a head-to-head matchup against Obama. That’s a 17 point drop in support from John McCain’s 2008 share of the Hispanic vote, garnering 31 percent of the that group four years ago.
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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123 comments Add your comment
woodrow
March 5th, 2012
6:41 pm
I don’t like illegal immigrants. But I can’t see taking this out on children. We need to keep this fight above the belt. The parents are accountable for their mistakes. The kids have no responsibility of control over those mistakes.
Not Blind
March 5th, 2012
7:01 pm
@woodrow- the illegals are preying on America’s goodwill. It is heartbreaking and that is just the way they want it. If you look at it with hard logic, preying on our sensibilities is just another underhanded ploy in their bag of dirty tricks.
Other underhanded ploys are touting this situation as a civil rights issue or a race issue. It’s not working anymore. Playing the race card in the illegal immigration debate is so obviously false that it’s becoming comical. The race that has suffered the most from illegal immigration is the blacks. The black people of this country will find themselves even further marginalized as the hispanic population grows as the hispanics are far more racist than whites. Remember the Mexican Black Sambo postage stamp flap from a few years back ??? Mexico basically told the black people to gth and mind your own business. This from a country who has a foreign policy that promotes and exploits massive illegal immigration to the US.
Stephen
March 5th, 2012
7:02 pm
Yes I am for open borders. Canada has what they call a “guest worker” program. It allows temporary visas for those who simply wish to make a better life for themselves. It works well and I believe we should emulate it. I defy anyone to point to a successful walled society. Walls breed hate, fear, and conflict. Why is that an impossible concept? Are you claiming that Mexicans, and other Latin American people are fundamentally different from us? Is there something special in their DNA that would cause them to be a cancer to this country? You claim that we “don’t have the resources” to take in every person who wants to come here. What resources are you talking about? The US does not now, nor has it ever run a homeless shelter. Illegal immigrants are not coming here to live off of the teat of the government, they are coming here to work. Studies have show that the only class of American citizens that has felt any impact of the current wave of illegal immigration is high school dropouts. It is estimated that wages for high school dropouts are being suppressed by between 3 and 8 percent by increased competition from illegal workers. Is that really justification for a wall? Overall economists overwhelmingly agree that the overall effect on the American economy has been positive. Illegal immigration is estimated to have increased our GDP anywhere from 1-2% and over $500,000,000 has been paid into the Social Security fund by illegal aliens since its inception. As many as 75% of illegal aliens pay taxes, and because they are not eligible for refunds/loopholes they almost always pay at a higher rate than the average citizen. In what way are we “paying” for people to come here? Did we “pay” for your wife to come here when she immigrated in 1980? Do not claim that there are Americans clambering to take these jobs, Study after study shows that this is not true, and the rotting onion crops in South Georgia bear witness.
And no, the US should not invade Mexico, we are already doing enough to “help” their economy with our tariffs and internal subsidies. Also lets not forget our ridicules war on drugs, which can be directly blamed for the lives of hundreds of thousands of Mexican citizens, gunned down by the criminals supplying America’s drugs. One can argue either side of the criminalization/decriminalization debate, but no one can argue the extremely destabilizing effect that America’s insatiable appetite has on the Mexican economy and government.
Delaware Bob
March 5th, 2012
7:14 pm
I’m proud of you Georgia! If only more states would stop pandering to these illegal aliens and pass some strict laws, maybe we could get rid of them. I’m tired of their demonstrations and snubbing their nose at our laws. Time for them to GET OUT of American and go back to thei rown country where they belong.
DannyX
March 5th, 2012
7:17 pm
“He also “forgot” to mention that it is a Democratic party poll.”
“Centrist”, do you think he should have mentioned that PPP has been very accurate? So accurate that Kyle Wingfield has vouched for the accuracy and references PPP polls all the time? Or that centrist website Real Clear Politics finds them reliable enough to include them in their averages?
Or maybe you just like to wallow in your “why me” media whine.
Tired
March 5th, 2012
7:25 pm
As a taxpaying GA voter married to a legal immigrant, it is not my responsibility to fund the education of citizens of Mexico or of any other country. Go home, get to the end of the line, and come back the legal way.
Stephen
March 5th, 2012
7:35 pm
Tired
Right! and poor people too! Get back to the ghetto! No school for you! They don’t pay taxes! Why should I have to pay taxes so some poor person can better themselves? It doesn’t make any sense! Everyone should understand that freedom, education, and a future are for the rich. Attempting to better yourself should be strictly frowned upon.
Also only the tragically uninformed believe that illegal immigrants do not contribute to the tax rolls and to the economy generally. I challenge anyone who thinks otherwise to do just a little research. You will find any overwhelming consensus that illegal immigration has generated between 1% and 2% of our GDP over the last few years while pumping billions into out tax coffers. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying to you. Makes you wonder, why are you being lied to?
Tired
March 5th, 2012
7:46 pm
Stephen,
We are a country of respect of laws and rules. This is what seperates us from many other countries where there is neither. First, education is not a “right” by our U.S. Constitution. Second, illegals are not entitled to public benefits. Third, if educating citizens of other countries in GA is important to you, then there are plenty of private colleges that would be more than happy to accept your monetary endowment on behalf of our uninvited guests. So, How about you put your money where your mouth is – but don’t expect GA voters to pick-up the tab. Operative word here is VOTER.
Levite
March 5th, 2012
7:50 pm
TD is right that we must adhere to the rule of law, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t make change in the law that would show compassion to youth whose life has been spent in the US.
Leviticus 19: 33-34. “When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.”
Michael
March 5th, 2012
8:02 pm
The bottom line is they can just go to one of the 35 or so better states in the US to get a college education. Problem solved.
DannyX
March 5th, 2012
8:04 pm
Good point Levite, also remember,
Leviticus 11:9-12 says:
10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you:
11 They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination.
12 Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.
Once I saw an illegal alien eating a shrimp taco, disgusting.
Tired
March 5th, 2012
8:06 pm
google Immigration, World Poverty and Gumballs updated 2010 video. I believe it sums up the problem quite well.
bart
March 5th, 2012
8:13 pm
All of a sudden Williams is a moderate on immigration. Could it be he is in trouble with his south GA constituency who can’t get labor to work in the fields because of his support of last year’s draconian anti-immigration bill?
Jon Smith
March 5th, 2012
8:43 pm
Thank you Senator Williams. Yes, the DREAM Act has widespread support. Let’s get US Senators Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson to work on something soon!
Levite
March 5th, 2012
8:43 pm
So, Dannyx together withseafood it also says homosexuality and tattoos are an abbomination. Is there a ranking or should we ignore Leviticus?
Not Blind
March 5th, 2012
9:03 pm
@bart. There are no anti-immigration bills, only illegal alien bills. Illegal aliens are NOT immigrants.
td
March 5th, 2012
9:08 pm
Stephen
March 5th, 2012
7:02 pm
“Are you claiming that Mexicans, and other Latin American people are fundamentally different from us?”
Where did I say anything about being different? I am a white 10th generation southern US born male and I am married to a Asian legal immigrant. I do not think you can put two people together much different from one another. You can give up that racial undertones on this issue with me.
“s there something special in their DNA that would cause them to be a cancer to this country?”
That is a total racist statement but to answer your question no. It is all about what we as a nation can afford to allow over here every year. This is why we have immigration laws with totals to be allowed in every year.
“Did we “pay” for your wife to come here when she immigrated in 1980?” More than likely but I know she had a church sponsor.
As far as putting up a wall. We must protect our boarders. I think the best way to do it from illegal immigrants is to fine the employers a very large amount of money for hiring them. The walls need to go up to slow down the drug trade and to stop criminals or terrorist.
Look before I leap...
March 5th, 2012
9:16 pm
Aside from the lack of documentation (and therefore legality of presence), what exactly is the objection to having Mexican’s in this country?
What are the objections to creating a documented guest worker process?
Instead of the very expensive and very limited efficacy of hunting them all down and packing them back across the border, why not offer amnesty, registration, documentation?
What exactly are the drawbacks there?
I am not advocating, I am simply trying to understand what the actual issue is.
Look before I leap...
March 5th, 2012
9:20 pm
Levite
March 5th, 2012
8:43 pm
So, Dannyx together withseafood it also says homosexuality and tattoos are an abbomination. Is there a ranking or should we ignore Leviticus?
Well if we adhere to Leviticus, you can sell your daughter into slavery and we we can stone disobedient children at the city gate.
Not Blind
March 5th, 2012
9:21 pm
This is just ONE taxpayer supported facility pandering to illegal aliens. Practically every county in every state in the country is being crushed by the costs of addressing the illegal aliens residing in this country.
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/the-cost-to-detain-illegal-immigrants-examined/nFDtf/
USMC
March 5th, 2012
9:27 pm
JIM GALLOWAY IS A COWARD.
Have you researched Mexico’s immigration laws lately Jim???
That’s what we thought.
Look before I leap...
March 5th, 2012
9:35 pm
Not Blind
March 5th, 2012
9:21 pm
This is just ONE taxpayer supported facility pandering to illegal aliens
If the state takes custody of someone, they take responsibility for them. Housing them, feeding them and providing medical care. No different from the Department of Corrections.
We can cage them like feral animals if you like.
Garry Owen
March 5th, 2012
9:48 pm
Why should illegal aliens be allowed in a state supported college? I, for one, am sick and tired of my tax dollars going to support individuals who broke the law and entered this country illegally and continue to live here illegally. Most countries in the world guard their borders with zeal and can ask for a passport or other documents that indicate an individual is in that country legally. However, in the U.S. we are supposed to throw or borders open and cater to illegals aliens before we take care of our own! There is a right way to legally become citizen of the U.S. Get in line, wait your turn, follow the law, and do what is right if an illegal alien wishes to become citizen. Americans first, last, and always.
Teshome
March 6th, 2012
1:01 am
Mitt ROMNEY IS NOT A CONSERVTIVE http://townhall.com/columnists/johnhawkins/2012/01/31/five_reasons_so_many_grassroots_conservatives_dont_like_mitt_romney/page/full/
Teshome
March 6th, 2012
1:03 am
Some candidates simply criticize their opponents in order to confuse the public and get our votes. Many people do not understand how members of US Congress function and get anything done.
Santorum knows not only how to pass laws but he is the only candidate with rich experience in national security & foreign Affairs unlike the other candidates. Please read online the two articles he authored in 2004: The Iran Freedom & Support Act and the Syrian Accountability Act. In this volatile world we don’t need another novice in international affairs to be the Commander-in-Chief and the leader of the free world. The Establishment and mass media, pundits would like to have Romney nominated. The Republican party of IOWA reluctantly declared Santorum the winner. They used all delaying technique so that he may not get any credit or support using his momentum. The Republican Party of Michigan changed their rules yesterday and gave one more delegate to Romney in order to declare him the “winner in delegates”. Such scandal should be exposed. BHO & DNC & the mass media are scared of Santorum because he is the one with less political baggage. By attacking Romney, they want to drive conservative voters from Santorum and be able to run against Romney, the weakest candidate against which they could easily carry out their class-warfare and ruin his candidacy. They started attacking Romney after Santorum rose in polls. This is a political intrigue many people may not understand.
Ed Piedra March 01, 2012 at 11:04PM wrote on Cleveland.com
TO ALL USA VOTERS :
Romney’s ’super PACs” = DISHONORABLE ANONYMOUS GODZILLA KILLERS to prey in YOUR GULLIBILITY! .
Romney’s ’super PACs” group of BILLIONAIRES HIDDEN under anonymous names like Restore Our Future TWISTING the will pf the people with television commercialsagainst Santorum.
At the end the male or female narrator intones disapprovingly: “Santorun even voted to raise his own pay” OR SIMMILAR derogatory ending.
The VILE ’super PACS” are NOT afraid to be SUED since The Federal Election Commission will levy only modest fines . In other words ’super PACS” have LICENSE TO LIE AND DIFAME and DESTROY THE OPOSITION WITH IMPUNITY JUST BY AFFORDING TO PAY MILLIONS FOR AIR TIME. !!
95 % of the voters are unaware of this fact. – Tell this to all the voters. Santorum does not have dishonest billionaires behind his campaign. But Santorun HAS We The People behind him !
THEIR AIM IS to FOUL the honorable people that can be persuades the HORRIBLE ADS WITH MALIGNANT LIES “MUST BE TRUE” BECAUSE are ON TV OR RADIO,
THINK AGAIN ! USE YOUR SENSES . BIG MONEY BILLIONAIRES i ARE trying to blind you .!
Shirley Freeman – Detroit Free Press. • Wrote:
Rick Santorum respects us enough to tell us the real truth. Common sense tells us: It takes MORE than 1 vote to pass a law.
Get real! Of course, politics is a team sport. Rick Santorum is an honest, courageous man ‘telling us like it is.’ Other candidates are afraid to talk about this ‘fact of life’ publicly. They prefer to ‘sweep it under the rug.’
Rick Santorum has faith in the good sense and strength of the American people. He has enough faith in us to tell us the truth.
Ron Paul is living proof that voting alone results in failed causes. He used his 1 vote against legislation again and again…and the laws he opposed continued to pass anyway.
Rick Santorum gathered votes and developed alliances as Senate Floor Manager which resulted in passage of the Welfare Reform Act TWICE in the Senate, to overcome President Clinton’s veto. His leadership resulted in passage of the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban THREE times, vetoed twice by President Clinton and finally signed into law by President Bush. Santorum is a resolute, highly skilled, amazingly successful conservative leader.
Yes, politics is a team sport! It takes a strong, conservative team to successfully pass strong conservative reforms. And that’s where the voters, community leaders and Tea Party advocates come in: It’s up to us to work for those votes to put a strong conservative team in Congress to support our next President, Rick Santorum!
Santorum is the only candidate who has already successfully used those skills as a conservative team leader at the national level to pass milestone conservative reforms. He is the only conservative telling us the real facts on the campaign trail. He is the only candidate who will
Teshome
March 6th, 2012
1:41 am
Some candidates simply criticize their opponents in order to confuse the public and get our votes. Many people do not understand how members of US Congress function and get anything done.
Santorum knows not only how to pass laws but he is the only candidate with rich experience in national security & foreign Affairs unlike the other candidates. Please read online the two articles he authored in 2004: The Iran Freedom & Support Act and the Syrian Accountability Act. In this volatile world we don’t need another novice in international affairs to be the Commander-in-Chief and the leader of the free world. The Establishment and mass media, pundits would like to have Romney nominated. The Republican party of IOWA reluctantly declared Santorum the winner. They used all delaying technique so that he may not get any credit or support using his momentum. The Republican Party of Michigan changed their rules yesterday and gave one more delegate to Romney in order to declare him the “winner in delegates”. Such scandal should be exposed. BHO & DNC & the mass media are scared of Santorum because he is the one with less political baggage. By attacking Romney, they want to drive conservative voters from Santorum.
Ed Piedra March 01, 2012 at 11:04PM wrote on Cleveland.com
TO ALL USA VOTERS :
Romney’s ’super PACs” = DISHONORABLE ANONYMOUS GODZILLA KILLERS to prey in YOUR GULLIBILITY! .
Romney’s ’super PACs” group of BILLIONAIRES HIDDEN under anonymous names like Restore Our Future TWISTING the will pf the people with television commercialsagainst Santorum.
At the end the male or female narrator intones disapprovingly: “Santorun even voted to raise his own pay” OR SIMMILAR derogatory ending.
The VILE ’super PACS” are NOT afraid to be SUED since The Federal Election Commission will levy only modest fines . In other words ’super PACS” have LICENSE TO LIE AND DIFAME and DESTROY THE OPOSITION WITH IMPUNITY JUST BY AFFORDING TO PAY MILLIONS FOR AIR TIME. !!
95 % of the voters are unaware of this fact. – Tell this to all the voters. Santorum does not have dishonest billionaires behind his campaign. But Santorun HAS We The People behind him !
THEIR AIM IS to FOUL the honorable people that can be persuades the HORRIBLE ADS WITH MALIGNANT LIES “MUST BE TRUE” BECAUSE are ON TV OR RADIO,
THINK AGAIN ! USE YOUR SENSES . BIG MONEY BILLIONAIRES i ARE trying to blind you .!
Shirley Freeman – Detroit Free Press. • Wrote:
Rick Santorum respects us enough to tell us the real truth. Common sense tells us: It takes MORE than 1 vote to pass a law.
Get real! Of course, politics is a team sport. Rick Santorum is an honest, courageous man ‘telling us like it is.’ Other candidates are afraid to talk about this ‘fact of life’ publicly. They prefer to ‘sweep it under the rug.’
Rick Santorum has faith in the good sense and strength of the American people. He has enough faith in us to tell us the truth.
Ron Paul is living proof that voting alone results in failed causes. He used his 1 vote against legislation again and again…and the laws he opposed continued to pass anyway.
Rick Santorum gathered votes and developed alliances as Senate Floor Manager which resulted in passage of the Welfare Reform Act TWICE in the Senate, to overcome President Clinton’s veto. His leadership resulted in passage of the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban THREE times, vetoed twice by President Clinton and finally signed into law by President Bush. Santorum is a resolute, highly skilled, amazingly successful conservative leader.
Yes, politics is a team sport! It takes a strong, conservative team to successfully pass strong conservative reforms. And that’s where the voters, community leaders and Tea Party advocates come in: It’s up to us to work for those votes to put a strong conservative team in Congress to support our next President, Rick Santorum!
Santorum is the only candidate who has already successfully used those skills as a conservative team leader at the national level to pass milestone conservative reforms. He is the only conservative telling us the real facts on the campaign trail. He is the only candidate who will tell us the real facts as President.
- Georgia Pundit
March 6th, 2012
6:44 am
[...] immigration status for those seeking to enroll in state colleges and universities passed by 34-19. Jim Galloway of the AJC has a story about Senator Tommie Williams considering dropping an amendment to allow prospective students who were brought to the country by their parents before the age of [...]
Georgia GOP’s brief brush with college access | DreamActivist
March 6th, 2012
7:54 am
[...] President pro tem Tommie Williams, R-Lyons, whose district includes blueberry, onion and corn growers, said Georgia ought to do something for the young people who come to the state along with their hard-working paren…. [...]
Jerome Horwitz
March 6th, 2012
7:57 am
The Statue of Liberty cries everytime some of you open your bigoted mouths. Lucky for most of you your ancestors emigrated when all you had to do was show up at the wharf in New York or other port and sign in. As for “legal” being in the country “illegally” is a civil offense. Not considered a serious offense. And they do pay property taxes – it’s part of their rent.
Sometimes think some of you just don’t want to see someone else succeed – you want that permanent underclass.
Not Blind
March 6th, 2012
8:17 am
@jerome – The real truth is that I and all the others like me don’t want an underclass therefore I am totally opposed to importing an underclass and then supporting them with my tax dollars.
Jerome, how do you explain their marching in the US while holding the Mexican flag high ? This shows their true patriotism.
How do you explain them sucking billions of dollars out of our economy and sending it to Mexico to prop up the Mexican economy ? If we did manage to suddenly seal the border and send all the illegals and their anchor babies home Mexico would collapse within a week.
How can anyone with any sense of right and wrong support our government’s massive spending on the needs of a people that have no moral or legal justification for being inside our borders? Their home country should be paying for the needs of their citizens instead of transferring this cost to their northern neighbor.
missmollie
March 6th, 2012
8:59 am
Stop the rhetoric. Just obey the laws. Get legal!!!
Centrist
March 6th, 2012
9:02 am
Rerun season.
This was originally posted on March 5th, but now time stamped this morning March 6.
Tommy Gunn
March 6th, 2012
9:06 am
To those who argue for making illegals(YES THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE) citizens, come up to Dalton and live for 6 months. Prepare yourself. It will be like living in a border town. You will go into stores where NO english is spoken. You will see a once beautiful town that is now rundown and ugly. You will see business after busines shuttered because people live 3 families to a house and instead of spending and keeping money in the community, the busiest sstore in town is the one that sales money orders to be sent out of the country. If you go to the health dept to get an immunazation, don’t bother. The illegals have drained all the resources to the point you HAVE to BE an illegal to get service. Do they take jobs that the “anglos” (americans) don’t want? Not the case. They take TWO jobs at a time! Usually one at Shaw and then another shift at Mohawk. The jobs are coveted, and pay VERY well. I could go on and on. You will NEVER sell me on the idea that it is ok to let your town, state and country be invaded. YES INVADED and occupied. I would have voted for Obama, because as he often said, he did do more to deport them than any president before him. That is until he decided he needed that demographic to get re-elected.
s l k
March 6th, 2012
9:37 am
YOu know…….as a Native American watching this all unfold has proven very interesting. The First Peoples of Turtle Island, now called the U.S.A., has seen an untold amount of “ILLEGAL” people arriving ,then destroying the land, removing the “original peoples” to TAKE everything………no thought given to anyone but themselves. We had NO borders. We had NO garbage dumps. We had NO jails. We had NO mental insitutions. These are the things that came with the first “illegals”.
Now………..time to vote……..wether you are a republican,democrate,ind,or neither.
The First Peoples will vote. So will all that wish to have their voices heard.
As far as the “illegal” problem some seem to be haveing…………….good grief !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
People are people. There is good and bad in all races.
But illegal? Does everyone who wishes to “ship” “illegals” back to their “orginal” county have their bags packed as well? Which country did you come from? Your parents, your ancestors?
How long has your family been here…….”illegaly”? If you can not answer this……LEAVE EVERYONE ALONE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not Blind
March 6th, 2012
10:01 am
slk, what happened to Native Americans is a PERFECT example of what happens when you don’t fight for your land. Native American goodwill allowed colonial settlements to take hold and grow resulting in the eventual destruction of Native American culture. History will repeat itself if we let it.
Denise
March 6th, 2012
2:40 pm
If we would make the people getting entitlements or unemployment take the field jobs, then it would save a lot!! The farmers are just pissed that they can’t pay less to Americans. I’d gladly pay more for farm goods if I know the jobs are done by Americans. The reason the south is trying so hard to pass immigration is that so many of the citizens quit school or have a minimum of a HS Ed and need these jobs. They aren’t qualified for anything else.
Larry Brown
March 6th, 2012
3:48 pm
Obama is counting on most Americans being too stupid see his plan to “fundamentally transform” the U.S. into a third world socialist country depends on giving amnesty or legal status to over ten million “unauthorized aliens”.
Sophia
March 6th, 2012
4:36 pm
Stephen, thank you for telling us about all of the different ethnic groups of LEGAL immigrants who have come to this country over the decades. But “illegal alien” is neither a race nor an ethnicity. Illegal aliens are lawbreakers and criminals who have no right to be in this country. And there are illegal aliens in this country from just about every other country in the world. By the way, my ancestors came here LEGALLY from England and Italy. Americans tend to welcome foreigners who come to this country LEGALLY. But if foreigners come here illegally, Americans tend to not appreciate that fact and develop a negative attitude toward these lawbreakers. Wanting foreigners to obey our laws and come here legally is not racist in any way, shape, or form. A large percentage of Hispanic-Americans are opposed to illegal immigration. So, does this make these Hispanic-Americans racists? Of course not. Being opposed to illegal immigration has nothing to do with racism or xenophobia. This country was not founded upon the concept of lawbreaking, and illegal aliens are lawbreakers. Foreigners are not denied a better life because they are different from us (Americans are comprised of all races and ethnic\ties). This country lets in about one million LEGAL immigrants each year and the majority of them are non-White. The only way that illegal aliens are different from us is that they’re in this country ILLEGALLY. If all of the jobs that are currently filled by illegal aliens were filled instead by Americans and legal immigrants (who tend to earn higher wages), then even more money would be paid into Social Security than illegal aliens pay in. There is absolutely NO reason for Americans to thank illegal aliens for anything. We don’t need illegal aliens in this country for any reason. By the way, the original Native Americans were also immigrants because they came to this continent from Asia.
HispanicTeacherWhoWasBornInAmerica
March 6th, 2012
5:29 pm
This is the South. Let’s call it what it really is, Jim Crow in sheep’s clothing.
Ali
March 6th, 2012
6:05 pm
There were 10 million Latinos who voted in 2008. But, there were 121 million non Latino Americans who did. Fact is, plenty of us in both parties and no party at all oppose amnesty for illegal aliens, especially children. Why? Because all we’ve gotten is more illegal immigration and you can bet that illegal aliens would be encouraged to bring their kids on more long and dangerous journeys if it meant mom and dad would get amnesty through them.
Note also that Georgia farmers can get an unlimited number of LEGAL agricultural guest workers under H2-A. And there’s nothing that prohibits illegal alien children from going to college IF they can pay for it themselves. Of course, they can’t legally work, either. I would think farmers would like the idea that illegal alien children are likely to be stuck on the farm or other low-wage jobs.
Ali
March 6th, 2012
6:13 pm
Jerome Horwitz wrote:”The Statue of Liberty cries everytime some of you open your bigoted mouths. Lucky for most of you your ancestors emigrated when all you had to do was show up at the wharf in New York or other port and sign in. As for “legal” being in the country “illegally” is a civil offense. Not considered a serious offense. And they do pay property taxes – it’s part of their ren.
————Jerome, the Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World was given to us by France in the late 19th century to encourage people in other countries to overthrow tyrants in their own countries following the American example, just as France had done. The Arab Spring is more in keeping with the spirit of the Statue than lying cheating illegal aliens are. And Jerome, Americans who came in the era you talked about had to show they were healthy and self-supporting, If they weren’t they got sent back. Plenty were. My dad’s cousin had to wait with his grandmother in his home country while the rest of his family came because he had eye problems and would have been turned back. Moreover, illegal immigration may be a “civil” offense, as you say, but it’s one that you can go to jail for several months for and face a very large fine. As for property taxes, well, since they often live several families to a home, they pay nowhere near the property taxes they’d need to pay for the education of their kids, etc.
Sometimes think some of you just don’t want to see someone else succeed – you want that permanent underclass.
————–No, we just have a problem with people “succeeding” through lying, cheating, and law breaking, which is what illegal aliens and their employers do.
Ali
March 6th, 2012
6:17 pm
The Man wrote”The problem isn’t illegal residents. We as Americans have always looked down on those that don’t look a certain way. Look throughout our history and see how hard it is for certain groups to succeed with the obstacles that have been placed in their way. Why are children born in other countrys any less deserving than those born here? These are the same right to lifers that don’t care about kids once they are born, or are born elsewhere. Suppose to be good Christians…”
————-The US is a SECULAR country and one founded on LAW. We have always believed in respect for the law (even if we don’t always practice it) as well as fair play and personal responsibility. Illegal aliens make their first act here breaking our law then follow it up by breaking more laws, from identity theft and fraud to tax evasion to drunk driving. And kids born in other countries aren’t “less deserving” than Americans, but they aren’t MORE deserving than Americans or legal foreign students. If they want to attend college here, they can follow the law. At age 18, that responsibility becomes theirs whatever their parents did.
Ali
March 6th, 2012
6:22 pm
John wrote:”Why do we want to block illegal immihgrants from getting as much education as they can? If we leave them uneducated and unabhle to get jobs, that just turns them into real criminals instead of somebody who has done nothing wrong.
———-At age 18, they are doing something wrong if they’re still here illegally. If they want educations, then they can pay for it themselves. Of course, they can’t legally work either and why should we let them? Plenty of American kids are graduating into unemployment and heavy student debt. Moreover, to offer them rewards for breaking the law is to encourage more illegal immigration.
No child who has come into this country because their parents entered illegally has ever done one intentional act. Since a crime requires both an act and an intent, those children are not criminals. They should be able to stay here, go to school here, and get jobs here. And, by the way, I am not a far out liberal.
——————At age 18, the intention is there. If their parents could manage to come here, to a country they didn’t know, and to do it illegally, there’s no reason their kids can’t go back to the country where they hold citizenship. And I am a “liberal”–I’ve taught overseas in developing countries and I know how many kids try to get student visas to come here legally and what it costs. Why should illegal aliens get a break on this because their parents broke the law, and because they continue to do so at age 18?
Ali
March 6th, 2012
6:26 pm
No longer a Republican wrote:”Really Markie? I thought colleges had admission requirements and selected the best students based on grades, test scores, activities, etc. If the illegal students are smarter or work harder shouldn’t we admit them over lazy Georgia kids?”
—————-Have you heard of “affirmative action”? Fact is, many colleges and universities have such policies that weight ethnicity/race, legal status, income, and such in their decision to admit students. The University of Maryland, for example, specifically listed these in their considerations, but wouldn’t tell how much weight they were given in decisions. In California, which already lets illegal aliens get in-state tuition and now financial aid, HIspanics have a serious problem with needing remedial schooling (because they’ve been admitted with lesser grades, etc., according to an article in the LA Times) and also not completing college once they’re admitted.
Ali
March 6th, 2012
6:30 pm
blue dog wrote: “Hacimo
“Machines”!!!
Here in the “real world” there are no machines that do the work of human worker and, as has been demonstrated, only migrant workers are willing to work in the fields, so, try again…what is your “real world” solution for these farmers.”
—————–You’re out of touch. Machines can and do the work of the human worker in agriculture, especially when allied with biological research that creates crops that can be more easily machine-picked. Tomatoes, blueberries, etc.
Ali
March 6th, 2012
6:33 pm
Danny X wrote:”“It is just plain silly to continually debate this issue with the minority radcal left here.”
Centrist, this is another case of you supporting a far right issue. Rick Perry in Texas signed a Dream Act bill in Texas. Gov Rubio and ex Gov Jeb Bush in Florida support the Dream Act
—————Go read about what’s happened to illegal aliens who graduated in college during the 11 years Texas has had its Dream Act. They’re not able to work in the professions they trained for and are volunteering or working the same low-wage jobs they could have gotten without college. Without a federal Dream Act, well, you’re just leading them on, unless you and they really believe that the only thing you should get out of college is an education.
Senator Balfour
March 6th, 2012
6:36 pm
I like SB 458 because I fear that educated undocumented immigrants would feel like they are better than cleaning my house, fixing my roof leaks, mowing my lawn and preparing my order at Los Hermanos Taqueria.
Ali
March 6th, 2012
6:41 pm
blue dog wrote:”The vast majority of migrant I have met in the construction trades are very hardworking people. I can see where that intimidates many of you on this blog who perhaps do not share these peoples work ethic. So, you degrade them, hoping they will go away.”
————-No, they’re lying, cheating line jumpers who displace Americans from jobs, drive down wages, and of course, since they’re here illegally, they dont really have much of a choice in changing employers.
The same thing happened to the Irish immigrants, the jewish, Italian, Polish etc, when they tried to gain a foothold in this country. The result of this infusion of labor has always resulted in stimulating our economy…not the reverse. Economist will tell you we NEED millions of immigrants to improve our economy…so LEGALIZE them and make them pay TAXES. Problem solved….Hell even Regan saw the benefit and decreed mass amnesty to the illegals….
————-Garbage. The Irish, etc., were here LEGALLY. Illegal aliens aren’t immigrants and dishonor are immigrant ancestors by calling them such. As for “stimulating the economy”, bull. We had record immigration during the 1990s and 2000s and look what happened. The highest unemployment rate in generations, stagnant wages and household incomes, and the top 1% now controlling even more of this country’s wealthy. For the record, we continue to admit 100,000 legal immigrants each month, even though we need to add 125,000 or so new jobs each month to keep up with the increase in the workforce much less put Americans back to work. As for taxes, legalization wouldn’t take them out of the working poo, wouldn’t turn them into net taxpayers, and would give them access to more social programs and welfare than they already get, which is plenty. Say, the $4.2 BILLION they collected under the child tax credit last year. And Reagan gave amnesty on the promise that it would be the ONLY one because laws would be enforced. We were lied to.
Ali
March 6th, 2012
6:46 pm
Stephen wrote:”According to the Dept. of Homeland Security the number of lawful immigrants from Mexico in 2010 (which bizarrely is measured as being 15 months long) was 138,717 it further enumerates how many of these were well educated, rich, and influential. How much did it cost your wife for the whole process? A friend of mine recently helped his wife become a US citizen, she was from Australia, and the total cost was over $200,000 dollars. While I understand your contention that the rule of law should be observed, you should understand that the system is rigged. The US, originally thought of as a new home for the “huddled masses, yearning to breath free” is now only accepting entry to those who can afford to buy it.”
——————Nonsense. Do you know why the wait for Mexicans is so long? Because Mexicans already dominate our legal immigration system. They regularly send 15-20% of our legal immigration because it’s heavily weighted in favor of family reunification. Mexicans, along with Filipinos, Dominicans, and some others are not included in the “diversity” lottery (intended to diversify those countries that receive visas) because so many immigrants from those countries are already here. Latin America accounts for half our legal immigration. Go dream up some more lies.
Ali
March 6th, 2012
6:50 pm
Stephen wrote:”The US, originally thought of as a new home for the “huddled masses, yearning to breath free” is now only accepting entry to those who can afford to buy it.”
————–No. Since colonial times, people coming to this country have been expected to be self-supporting and to follow the laws of this country. The line you quote was added to the Statue of LIberty in the early 20th century is NOT a statement of our immigration policy.