http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/ ... marin.html

Marin, foe stand apart on illegals
Lewis says he, Georgians support the crackdown

By BRIAN FEAGANS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 07/11/06

Rep. Pedro Marin (D-Duluth) knew he would take some political lumps for voting against a sweeping anti-illegal immigration bill earlier this year.

The two-term incumbent just didn't expect attacks from such a young challenger.

Torriel "Torry" Lewis, 22, is trying to unseat Marin in the Democratic primary for House District 96, which runs from Norcross to Duluth. And sure enough, the 2001 graduate of Norcross High has come out swinging on immigration, a red-hot issue captivating voters across Georgia.

Lewis, a loss prevention detective at Saks Inc., said most folks he's spoken to in the district support the illegal immigration crackdown signed into law by Gov. Sonny Perdue in April. Lewis does, too. "I feel you have to be a representative of the district," said Lewis, who grew up in the Norcross area and graduated from Savannah State University in December.

Marin, a Puerto Rico-born business consultant who helps companies tap into the Latino market, said the legislation attacks mere symptoms of a problem that should be solved at the national level. It could harm the state's economy as well, he said. "This is a country addicted to cheap labor," Marin said. "And we have so many industries right now that rely on these people — construction, carpet, poultry, agriculture."

The issue provides a sharp contrast for voters in a Democratic primary that appears to be for all the marbles. No Republican has qualified.

Marin, one of three Hispanics in the Georgia Legislature, represents an increasingly diverse swath of Gwinnett that runs along the northwestern side of I-85, from the DeKalb County line to Pleasant Hill Road. About 47 percent of active voters in the district are non-Hispanic whites, followed by blacks at 34 percent and Asians at 6 percent, according to the Georgia Secretary of State's office.

The district's sizable Hispanic population is hard to quantify. Many are recent immigrants — both legal and illegal. But one thing is clear: They have not turned out in large numbers at the ballot box. Hispanics account for just 4 percent of active voters in the district.

Marin said he tries to represent everyone. "If you represent only the people who register to vote, you're not doing your job," he said.

Marin and Lewis list improving education among their top priorities. And both talk tough on gangs.

Marin said he often speaks about the dangers of gang activity when addressing students at schools around Norcross and Duluth. And he co-sponsored legislation that allows prisoner labor to be used for covering up gang graffiti. Marin also has co-sponsored a measure that would increase prison time for those convicted of gang-related crimes.

Lewis said he would try to ratchet up those penalties, as well. He'd like to make all gang-related crimes — including the use of gang graffiti — a felony.

Marin, whose 21-year-old son went to Norcross High with Lewis, said he doesn't think his opponent's youth should be an issue on its own. But Marin, 48, said voters should be concerned about what he calls a lack of experience and community involvement on Lewis' part. "This is a critical and crucial year for politics in Georgia," Marin said. "The Democratic party needs to keep the most experienced legislators in place."

Marin says he's on the boards of many civic associations, participates in community clean-ups and has been active with self-taxing districts designed to improve commercial districts around Gwinnett Place mall and Jimmy Carter Boulevard.

Lewis counters that he has lived in the district since he was 4 years old and understands the people better than Marin. Again, he cites Marin's opposition to the illegal immigration measure in the spring, when polls showed that more than 80 percent of Georgians wanted legislators to deal with it.

SB 529, called the Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act, prohibits adult illegal immigrants from obtaining some taxpayer-funded services, though they will still have access to emergency care. The law, which takes effect in July 2007, also bars employers from deducting the wages of illegal immigrants from state taxes. And it requires Georgia authorities to help verify the immigration status of any foreign national arrested for a felony or for driving under the influence.

Lewis agrees that the ultimate fix is at the federal level, but he said there's nothing wrong with attacking symptoms of the problem. "SB 529 is like Tylenol to me," he said.

Marin said the act sends the wrong message and is soft on the most powerful force driving illegal immigration. "If we want to really deter illegal immigration in the state, we have to go after the employers," he said.

Lewis also has gone after Marin for his vote in support a bill that would expand the secrecy that surrounds recruiting industry to Georgia. The bill passed the House but stalled in the Senate. "He voted for it and now says he regrets voting for it," Lewis said. "That's just careless. We don't need that in state government."

Marin concedes he made a mistake. Upon reflection, he decided any competitive advantage wasn't worth denying Georgians the opportunity to see how their tax dollars were being used.

But Marin says it's easy to criticize from the sidelines. And he points to his legislative measures to provide interpreters for victims of domestic violence and force apartment complexes to designate an area for piling up the belongings of evicted tenants, rather than tossing them to the curb.

While he was legislating, Marin said, his opponent was at the other end of the state: "He has spent the last four years in Savannah going to school."

Lewis said he frequently returned to Norcross while at Savannah State, including times he spoke to high students about the steps it takes to get to college. The former Norcross High football player also has been active in youth football programs.

"This perception that I was on the moon for the four years and didn't come back is a fallacy," he said.