Legislators say immigration panel hijacked
Sponsor says legislation was rewritten to suit business, industry

Thursday, September 20, 2007By BOB LOWRYTimes Staff Writer bob.lowry@htimes.com
http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/ ... xml&coll=1

MONTGOMERY - A trio of legislators, including two Republicans, said Wednesday a commission to study illegal immigration in Alabama appears to have been hijacked by business and industry groups.

Sen. Scott Beason, R-Gardendale, who sponsored the legislation creating the Joint Interim Patriotic Immigration Commission, said his original bill was rewritten to accommodate business and industry.

"The folks who got together to run this commission, to make sure their people were on it, are the same folks who changed my resolution in the Legislature," he said. "I think its loaded pretty heavily for groups who apparently somewhere in their groups hire illegals.

"Their version of what's best for Alabama is what's best for them."

The second meeting of the commission turned testy Wednesday when members disagreed over whether the 21-member group should have public hearings around the state.

"As soon as you saw the opposition to public meetings, which was clear, that told me everything I needed to know," said Beason.

Commission Chairman Jay Reed, vice president of the Associated Builders & Contractors, said that when his group sponsors job fairs, attendance is minimal. He called some of the claims about construction jobs being taken away from Alabamians a "myth."

"No one is coming and really saying, 'Please put me on a career path so I can get on top of a roof and sweat from about 6 a.m. until about 3 p.m.,' " he said. "No one wants to do these jobs. When we get out into areas where we hear people want to work, they don't come."

Beason said business and industry representatives have already determined what the report should say.

I think they know what they want the commission to say and what they want the report to say, and they've got the train going," he said. "If they go out and listen to the public, it's going to be more than they can take. When they find out what's really happening in the real world and people are losing job opportunities, it messes up their program."

The commission is make a report to the Legislature three days before it meets in February 2008.

Sen. Roger Bedford, D-Russellville, and Reps. Micky Hammon, R-Decatur, and Randy Hinshaw, D-Meridianville, also insisted on public hearings.

"Already, I'm hearing people back home express some skepticism about whether we're going to accomplish anything because it (the commission) is heavily loaded with industry," said Hinshaw. "We have to keep it open for that very reason."

The commission agreed to have a least one public hearing and hold open the possibility of others. Eleven members of the commission are in businesses or industries such as construction, farming, forestry and poultry that employ immigrants.

"When you talk about our different interests, it seems to be like, rather than different interests, it's a different perspective," said Chris Isaacson, executive vice president of the Alabama Forestry Association.

"I'm having a hard time seeing recommendations we can come up with in the best interest of the state of Alabama; it's going to be in the best interest of people depending on the work force. I'm comfortable with letting the facts drive us, wherever they go."

Hammon said he receives phone calls from angry constituents unable to find jobs as subcontractors.

"The people, quite frankly, are mad," he said. "I get calls from Sheetrock people, from framers, from brick masons that have been doing it for 20 or 30 years that are going broke because they can't get the job. They can't compete against someone who's not paying Social Security, not paying unemployment, not taking out taxes or paying cash under taxes.

"When you take illegal labor and pay them cash money, it costs you about 30 percent less than me right off the bat."