Patriotic Immigration Commission Makes Recommendations

Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 10:10 PM

By Jennifer Hale

The debate over immigrant workers is exploding across Alabama. Our state has seen a big influx of immigrant, hispanic workers recently, both legal and illegal. The state started, what it calls, a Patriotic Immigration Commission to try to solve some of the growing pains. After almost a year of study, the Commission just issued its suggestions for how to change the rules governing Alabama's immigrant workforce.

This is an issue where most would agree there are very few easy answers. Some say we need the workforce that immigrant workers provide. Others argue the problems---like illegal workers, wages leaving the state without being taxed, a burden on education and social services --- aren't worth the cost. The bi-partisan Patriotic Immigration Commission wants Alabama legislators to change state laws regarding everything from making sure local residents get offered jobs first to requiring immigrants provide stricter proof they have legal permission to work here.

Blount County farmer Dennis Maze is one of those who believes migrant workers are now essential to Alabama's unskilled labor force -- especially for farmers like himself, but Maze also says the rules governing immigrant laborers need to change.

"We need to secure those borders. We need to have them here legally. They need to pay taxes just like we're paying taxes," says Maze.

Maze says many Alabama farms can't survive without what's called guest workers, but that Alabama farmers also want a legal immigrant work force. That's why Maze agreed to sit on the Patriotic Immigration Commission. One of the Commission's top goals: making sure immigrant wages are tracked and taxed.

The Pew Hispanic Center says in 2000, money transfers to Latin America totalled $10.2 billion. By 2005, Pew says that total had grown to more than $18 billion dollars.

"Let them pay their taxes like they need to and that money not go back to Mexico like it's going. We're losing a lot out of the economy when it goes back to Mexico," says Maze.

"Something needs to be done regarding a broken immigration system," says Jay Reed, the chairman of the Patriotic Immigration Commission.

The Commission is now urging lawmakers nationwide to issue one national i-d card for immigrant workers with a special Homeland Security seal that's hard to duplicate yet easy for employers to verify that it's real.

Reed hopes that will cut down on the number of illegal immigrants using fake documents...forged paperwork that's hard for employers to detect.

"With technology, there are a lot of ways people are able to duplicate cards. From everything I'm hearing, there are people who are able to do that," says Reed.



Plus the Commission wants state lawmakers to require employers to participate in job fairs and recruiting efforts for local residents -- before they're allowed to hire immigrant laborers. But once jobs are advertised, the Commission wants the state to issue enough work visas to immigrant laborers to fill all empty unskilled labor positions.



"If farming, poultry or construction can prove they've got x numbers of unfilled jobs, the work visas should meet those demands once those jobs have been offered to local people," says Reed.

Reed says with Alabama's unemployment rate so low --- 4.1% according to the Department of Labor - the state's economic development boom can't continue without the muscle of immigrant workers. Reed hopes lawmakers take the Commission's suggestions seriously.

"I think these recommendations can really guide our elected officials to do what's right for Alabama: give us a secure, safe work force, protect our citizens and make sure we keep migrant workers coming into the state," says Reed.

But back in Blount County, Dennis Maze warns with emotions about this topic running so high, he's not betting on much change anytime soon.

"I don't think there will be much come out of it. I think you'll see a few laws come out of it, but not much. There's too much politics," says Maze.

Right now the Alabama Legislature is debating many of these suggestions. Reed says he hopes lawmakers take action before this legislative session ends on Monday, May 19.

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