Thread: GA: Business leaders, Latino advocates speak against bills

Business leaders, Latino advocates speak out against immigration bills

Senate committee holds hearing in Gainesville for feedback on proposed legislation


By Melissa Weinman mweinman@gainesvilletimes.com

POSTED: February 23, 2011 2:07 a.m.

A Senate committee on immigration heard hours of impassioned testimony Tuesday about how proposed immigration legislation would adversely affect the business community.

A room mostly filled with opponents of the immigration bills in the Georgia House and Senate spoke to the five senators on the committee about how immigration legislation would worsen the economy and create difficulties for Latinos.

The Georgia General Assembly is looking at legislation similar to the controversial Arizona immigration law.

The bills propose strengthening the enforcement of federal immigration programs; giving incentives to state and local police to participate in federal immigration enforcement programs such as 287(g), which allows local officials to check the immigration status of those arrested for other crimes; and punishing people who encourage illegal immigrants to enter Georgia and then transport or conceal them when they arrive.

The hearing was a regional one that drew people from throughout the metro Atlanta area and North Georgia.

Tom Hensley, president of poultry company Fieldale Farms Corp. that has locations in North Georgia, told the Senate Special Committee on Immigration and Georgia's Economy that 287(g) already had a detrimental effect on the poultry industry in Hall County that would only be worsened by statewide legislation.

Hensley said despite using measures to ensure the company hired documented workers, the anti-immigrant climate in the state has driven the Latino workers he depended on away from his business.

"We were 67 percent Hispanic in 2004. Our turnover was 25 percent. Our workers (compensation) cost was $50,000 a month. Our health care cost for the whole year was $8 million. It was about that time that the federal, state and local governments let it be known that these folks are not welcome," Hensley said.

"Fast forward to 2010, we're about 33 percent Hispanic now. Our turnover is 75 percent. Workers comp costs are $150,000 a month. Our health care last year was $20 million. Those are staggering numbers, but that's the economic reality.

"We need comprehensive immigration reform in this country. It has to be a federal program, not the state ... you can't have 50 different laws in 50 different states. I implore you, don't pass any more laws."

Many people shared their stories of how recent discussions on immigration have created a hostile environment for Latinos.

Laura Murvartian of Sandy Springs said she came to the U.S. illegally with her parents from Mexico when she was age 8. She grew up working in chicken plants before she was able to get a bachelor's degree and become a citizen.

She said immigration rhetoric has made her feel uncomfortable, even though she is a citizen.

"My 9-year old son is asthmatic. When I take him to emergency room at 3 in the morning, I feel judged," she said, referring to the stares from people who is assume she is in the country illegally.

Murvartian said despite owning several businesses in Georgia, she and her family will move away if the proposed legislation becomes law.

"I feel it is a personal attack on people like me," she said. "I feel it is my duty to stand up and speak for those who are currently in an illegal situation today as I was 30 years ago."

Gainesville attorney Arturo Corso said undocumented immigrants are a pillar of the Hall County economy.

"There have been frequent calls to my law office. Once, every two weeks, a well-known, Anglo-American business owner of significant wealth calls me and asks me how they can go about legalizing their employees," Corso said.

"The truth is, they really can't. There is a great myth that there is a legal path to come to the U.S. There is no lawful path to come to the U.S. if you are a Mexican."

Corso told senators there is a 15-year backlog for Mexicans hoping to get enter the U.S. legally.

Others came out to show their support of tougher enforcement of immigration laws.

Lennie Baker, who moved to the U.S. from the Netherlands, spoke in favor of local immigration laws.

"I think it starts on the local level. The feds? We've seen what a mess they've made of everything. So I don't think they're going to do any better," she said. "I have not heard one person mention the taxpayers' cost for all these illegal immigrants. There's only so much money to go around. To hit the taxpayers up for all these illegal expenses is wrong."

The senators on the committee said they were impressed by the turnout of nearly 300 and heard valuable information from those spoke at the hearing.

"I was impressed we had actual members of the business community show up. So often you just get activists," said Sen. Curt Thompson, chairman of the committee.


http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/section ... cle/46375/

A room mostly filled with opponents of the immigration bills in the Georgia House and Senate spoke to the five senators on the committee about how immigration legislation would worsen the economy and create difficulties for Latinos.

"Create difficulties for Latinos?"

Do you people ever stop for a moment focusing on illegal aliens and think about how millions of legal citizens lives have been affected and almost destroyed in the most saddest ways, due to employers unlawful actions and undocumented aliens fraud and criminal actions?

latinos

Its always about latinos

I'm so sick of these whiny ethnocentric crybabies

"I take it nobody brought up the cost of illegal immigration to the state of Georgia!" which is $2.4 billion a year! Funny they always seem to leave this part of the problem out of the equation! Always!

Murvartian said despite owning several businesses in Georgia, she and her family will move away if the proposed legislation becomes law.

"I feel it is a personal attack on people like me," she said. "I feel it is my duty to stand up and speak for those who are currently in an illegal situation today as I was 30 years ago."

Ya know what Ms. Murvartain? You go right ahead and leave, don't let the door hit ya on the way out! American does NOT need Naturalized citizens like you!

Here is the OATH you SWORE to upon becoming an American:

I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.

I think you forgot about that oath, of course beginning your life here as an illegal you probably believe the laws and any oath you take doesn't pertain to you 'cause you're special and above the law!

Tom Hensley, president of poultry company Fieldale Farms Corp. that has locations in North Georgia, told the Senate Special Committee on Immigration and Georgia's Economy that 287(g) already had a detrimental effect on the poultry industry in Hall County that would only be worsened by statewide legislation.

Hensley said despite using measures to ensure the company hired documented workers, the anti-immigrant climate in the state has driven the Latino workers he depended on away from his business.

"We were 67 percent Hispanic in 2004. Our turnover was 25 percent. Our workers (compensation) cost was $50,000 a month. Our health care cost for the whole year was $8 million. It was about that time that the federal, state and local governments let it be known that these folks are not welcome," Hensley said.

"Fast forward to 2010, we're about 33 percent Hispanic now. Our turnover is 75 percent. Workers comp costs are $150,000 a month. Our health care last year was $20 million. Those are staggering numbers, but that's the economic reality.

What is "staggering" is that you used illegal aliens of one ethnic origin to cheat on workers comp, health care, wages and working conditions in your work place. It takes a moron like you to walk into a legislative committee hearing and unwittingly confess to immigration violations, racism and the profiteering by breaking federal law that exist to protect the health, wages, benefits and labor rights of American Workers.

The reason your turnover rates are up to 75% is because you no longer have illegal alien slaves working for you at wages that are too low for the work being performed. Raise your wages a dollar an hour and watch your "turnover" plummet to normal rates. The reason your workers comp charges are $150,000 a month is because you're hiring Americans who know their rights when they're injured on the job and report it and they're on the books legally so you have to pay the workman's comp premiums on all those American Workers. The reason your health insurance costs have risen is because you can no longer have an illegal work force that's excluded from health insurance benefits.

Welcome to America, Tom Hennessey. Now pay up and shut up. Georgia, if you don't investigate this chicken processing company for violations of US immigration, civil rights and labor laws, then you deserve every dime these "business interests" cost your state and taxpayers.

Now move forward, pass your bill and shut these thugs like Hennessey down. After all, this is 2011, not 1861.

Laura Murvartian of Sandy Springs said she came to the U.S. illegally with her parents from Mexico when she was age 8. She grew up working in chicken plants before she was able to get a bachelor's degree and become a citizen.

She said immigration rhetoric has made her feel uncomfortable, even though she is a citizen.

"My 9-year old son is asthmatic. When I take him to emergency room at 3 in the morning, I feel judged," she said, referring to the stares from people who is assume she is in the country illegally.

Murvartian said despite owning several businesses in Georgia, she and her family will move away if the proposed legislation becomes law.

Uuh huh, so how many illegal aliens do your "several businesses" serve in violation of US immigration law? Your self-serving testimony just showed why there will never be another amnesty in the United States.

Originally Posted by nomas

Murvartian said despite owning several businesses in Georgia, she and her family will move away if the proposed legislation becomes law.

"I feel it is a personal attack on people like me," she said. "I feel it is my duty to stand up and speak for those who are currently in an illegal situation today as I was 30 years ago."

Ya know what Ms. Murvartain? You go right ahead and leave, don't let the door hit ya on the way out! American does NOT need Naturalized citizens like you!

Here is the OATH you SWORE to upon becoming an American:

I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.

I think you forgot about that oath, of course beginning your life here as an illegal you probably believe the laws and any oath you take doesn't pertain to you 'cause you're special and above the law!

That's what amnesty does is create a whole new element in our country that believes they're special and above the law, who then build businesses serving the same element they originated from perpetuating illegal immigration, the very thing they were given dispensation to stop. I'm sure she's a citizen because of 1986 amnesty and more proof that amnesty doesn't work, it doesn't pay, and it does the opposite of what it's touted to do.

Thank you Judy for the point about the chicken farmer and his blatent use of black market labor that's exactly my thought when reading the artical I'm so tired of OUR politicians catering to these people its rediculous last november wasn't enough for these people its seems most think that was just whim and don't take what the AMERICAN people want even our president isn't bothered by the massive change we are asking for! I'm starting to think the youth in egypt have it right and we should pay attenion to their example its seems our goverment thinks they're above being ousted

Originally Posted by Judy

What is "staggering" is that you used illegal aliens of one ethnic origin to cheat on workers comp, health care, wages and working conditions in your work place. It takes a moron like you to walk into a legislative committee hearing and unwittingly confess to immigration violations, racism and the profiteering by breaking federal law that exist to protect the health, wages, benefits and labor rights of American Workers.

The reason your turnover rates are up to 75% is because you no longer have illegal alien slaves working for you at wages that are too low for the work being performed. Raise your wages a dollar an hour and watch your "turnover" plummet to normal rates. The reason your workers comp charges are $150,000 a month is because you're hiring Americans who know their rights when they're injured on the job and report it and they're on the books legally so you have to pay the workman's comp premiums on all those American Workers. The reason your health insurance costs have risen is because you can no longer have an illegal work force that's excluded from health insurance benefits.

+1

I get the feeling that Hensley is not a big fan of the dignity of labor
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