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Columbus
Immigration Laws Could Slow Construction Boom

It's an industry on the brink of a boom in Columbus, but proposed legislation could slow things down. Joe Alexander has been building homes in the valley for 33 years. He says a proposal to fine companies who hire undocumented workers is bad for business.

"If legislation took over and worked we would loose half the force and then we would have to take half the people to do the same amount of work and that would present a problem,"says Joe Alexander, Alexander Building Contractors.

A problem that could drive up the cost of new homes. The Pew Hispanic Center estimates undocumented workers fill more than one in seven construction jobs -- a trend that is hurting some sub-contractors.

"I'm completely for it. I think everybody should have to match social security and all the things that come with that. The cost of business is higher when you do things legitimately than people who don't do that,"says Hal Littlejohn, Littlehjohn Drywall.

Littlejohn spends one thousand dollars a week making sure all of his workers are documented. Which means companies that don't have an unfair advantage. Still some contractors say there is a need for undocumented workers.

"Our workforce has gone on to do bigger and better jobs with computers and they are not available to do construction work --brick layers, land scapers, carpenters -- so we really depend on them and we need them,"says Alexander.

Last week the Georgia Senate voted to deny illegal immigrants any government services and penalize companies which knowingly hire them with tax sanctions. The georgia house is now considering the bill.

By Jade Hindmon

jhindmon@wtvm.com