NC Workers Forgotten: Illegal Immigration is Affecting North Carolina Workers

http://www.theconservativevoice.com/article/33275.html

July 15, 2008 06:27 AM EST

NC WORKERS FORGOTTEN: ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS AFFECTING NORTH CAROLINA WORKERS, BUT THE DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP CONTINUES TO DERAIL LEGISLATION AT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

The state unemployment rate is rising. Our North Carolina General Assembly leadership only talks about helping citizens out of poverty and providing them jobs. A NC Civitas Institute poll (April, 200 showed 91% of North Carolina voters in favor of requiring employers to verify the legal resident status of anyone they employ. HB 2610 and SB 2002 introduced in the NC General Assembly this session would require employers in North Carolina to use the federal E-Verify System to check the legal resident status of their workers, hence to protect jobs for citizens and legal residents. This legislation, typical of other legislation introduced in the General Assembly to address illegal immigration, has not been allowed to come up for a vote in committee by the Democratic leadership in control as the majority. Unless action is taken quickly, this legislation will die, and North Carolina legal resident workers will yet again suffer job loss and wage depression due to mass illegal immigration. A UNC-CH study by Dr. James Johnson stated low-skilled North Carolinians lose $1.9 billion in wages per year due to mass immigration.

NC Senate leader Marc Basnight says the plan to borrow $857 million for state construction projects will create 20,000 jobs. Isn't it fair to ask how many of those jobs will go to illegal immigrants unless state legislation is passed and E-Verify required? President Bush just recently issued an Executive Order mandating the use of E-Verify by any company bidding on federal contracts. An earlier NC Civitas poll shows 80% of NC voters think employers who hire illegal immigrants should be fined, with 64% believing the fines should significantly increase. Although the state leadership is providing additional funds in the budget to support the 287 g program, which is beneficial but mostly identifies illegal immigrants after they have broken the law and victimized citizens [about as much in state funding as is normally given to the illegal immigrant advocacy group – El Pueblo], it does nothing for our workers while unemployment is rising.

Polls overwhelmingly show citizens want jobs available only to legal residents. It appears the Democratic leadership in power at our General Assembly, given their opposition to E-Verify legislation, cares more about illegal immigrants acquiring and keeping jobs rather than citizens. This position is misguided and shows a lack of real concern for our legal resident workers, versus the rhetoric about concern for workers.
Ron Woodard
Director
NC LISTEN
Ofc: (919) 460-8156
Cell: (919) 801-2050
www.nclisten.com