County Commissioner Calls For Action
by B. Jay Johnson

July 18, 2007
At least one county commissioner is calling for action, in the wake of the Bradley News' series of Special Reports entitled "Illegal Invasion."

Several weeks ago an immigration attorney told us that Bradley County has the perception of being lenient when it comes to dealing with illegal aliens. Commissioner Jeff Yarber finds that disturbing.

In fact, he finds it so disturbing that he is drafting a resolution that calls for tougher laws aimed at illegal aliens in Bradley County.

"I am concerned that we are a sanctuary for illegal immigrants," says Commissioner Yarber. "We need to start making noise and start discussing the issue."

Yarber wants to crack down on landlords who knowingly rent to illegal aliens and to businesses who knowingly hire illegal aliens. He says his resolution is still being drafted, so he doesn't want to discuss the specifics - not just yet.

Commissioner Yarber says he is particularly concerned about illegal aliens who are driving without a driver's license and commiting other crimes that endanger the citizens of Bradley County.

The Bradley News was the first media source to report on the arrest of an illegal alien who drove his vehicle through a fence at a home on Club Drive back in April.

That illegal alien was arrested, but was released on bond. He was later re-arrested for not appearing in court to face the charges in the case.

Commissioner Yarber is bringing the illegal immigration issue to the forefront at a time when the state of Georgia is enacting sweeping immigration laws.

While Congress remains deadlocked on illegal immigration, Georgia is receiving national attention for being the first state to move forward with new laws aimed at stemming the tide of illegal aliens coming into the Peach State.

State Lawmakers in Nashville expect the new law in Georgia to have a direct impact on the illegal immigration population here in Tennessee.

As of July 1, any large company wanting to do business with local or state government agencies must show they have registered to use the federal Employment Eligibility Verification Program. The program is an online database run by the federal Citizenship and Immigration Services.

The new legislation requires employers to check the status of any new workers hired after July 1 and determine whether their Social Security numbers are valid.

During the first year SB 529 is in effect, only companies with 500 employees or more will be required to participate if they want to bid on government contracts in Georgia.

As it is phased in, all contractors and subcontractors working with the state or local governments will be required to enroll after July 2009.

The Georgia Department of Labor recently outlined how it will implement the verification rules, but so far there has been little response from the contracting and building communities that have been preparing for the new law.

"Many have already participated voluntarily, especially the larger employers, which will be this first group," said Georgia Department of Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond. More than 500 Georgia companies are already taking part in the verification system.

"We have been requiring growers to join the program," said Dawson Morton, an attorney for the Migrant Project of Georgia Legal Services Program. He represents farm workers with legitimate visas fighting against farmers wanting to pay lower wages to undocumented workers and said the verification issue often comes up.

"We were just in court two weeks ago for a contempt proceeding with a grower who refused to join it," said Morton.

Access to healthcare also could change for illegal immigrants in Georgia, but only for some services.

SB 529 makes people prove they are in the country legally before they can receive state-funded benefits.

However, under federal law, no one can be turned away from hospital emergency rooms for care. Georgia legislators also included several exemptions in the bill for children and pregnant women.

Communicable diseases also can be treated because of public health concerns. And those who pay the full amount for services without receiving subsidized care do not have to show their legal status.

As you can imagine, many Hispanics living in Georgia are alarmed and confused by SB 529. It's been reported that many in the state's Hispanic communities are avoiding doctors altogether out of confusion.

Danny Vincent is the Executive Director for HealthSTAT, a student-led nonprofit health group. She says the main services that are going to be affected are adult, primary and chronic care.

Vincent says HealthSTAT and other groups have been preparing for the new law by asking county health departments and state officials to distribute pamphlets to patients and by making sure the law is being interpreted the same at all facilities.

Republican State Senator Chip Rogers of Woodstock, Georgia crafted the law. He says he has already been contacted by representatives of 20 states seeking information about the landmark legislation.

"The weakness of national legislation means more state and local measures will be pitched," Rogers predicts. "You'll see states and local governments taking action because of the failure of the federal government."

That definitely appears to be the case with Bradley County Commissioner Jeff Yarber. He says the federal government has not done its job, but he says local governments can't sit back and wait any longer.

During Monday's commission meeting, Commissioner Ed Elkins asked whether Whitfield County, Georgia had passed any immigration laws of its own. The city of Dalton is located in Whitfield County. The city reportedly is now 47% Hispanic.

Commissioner Yarber said he would research the immigration laws in Georgia and try to find out what is taking place in Whitfield County.

"I'm concerned about the influx of illegals who will be coming our way," said Yarber. "I don't want to just ramble about it, I want to see action."

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