http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opin ... 31206.html

No invitations for illegal immigrants
3/12/06
MY OPINION
by JIM WOOTEN

That, at least, is the argument made by opponents of the Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act, a modest bill inexplicably derided as mean-spirited, ham-handed and worse. "What this bill does is create fear in the community," argued state Sen. Sam Zamarripa (D-Atlanta). "It puts in place this level of fear, warranted or not."

Furthermore, asserted Zamarripa, "it creates a class of people who are separate and unequal."

That class of people, reasonable people might observe, is separate and unequal. They are here illegally.

The enormous rift between the two sides on illegal immigration was reflected in last week's Senate debate. The debate itself was unusually civil for an extensively hyped issue. But the sharply incompatible views held by those who favored and those who opposed action are reflected in the "findings" section of a last-minute alternative introduced by state Sen. Kasim Reed (D-Atlanta) and others.

It gets to the point of why it is considered political sin to make illegals feel fear of apprehension or to suspect that their status renders their claims "unequal" to those of legal immigrants or citizens.

"The General Assembly finds that acts and omissions of state and federal governments operate as an open invitation to illegal aliens to come into our state, and it is not only illogical but also inhumane to treat our invited guest workers as less than human," Reed and others proposed as Georgia's official state policy on illegal immigration.

What's more, the Reed petition continues, we are at fault because:

"Intentionally lax enforcement of immigration laws by the federal government, the large unfilled job market in Georgia and the impunity with which Georgia employers are able to exploit the pool of undocumented workers act as enticements for illegal aliens in search of work . . . "

Without question, cracking down on employers who hire illegals knowingly or with intentional ignorance has to be a component of any state or federal legislation. Stopping raids on companies that routinely hire illegals, as was done during the Clinton administration, signaled potential illegals that they had little to fear. Only three workplace raids were conducted in the entire nation last year.

As the worlds divide, liberals gravitate to the view expressed by Reed that illegals are here by invitation. Conservatives, and by far a majority of Georgians, believe no such thing — that whatever their work ethic and other admirable qualities, their claim to entitlements is built upon the commission of a crime.

This supposition that illegals are "invited" and therefore absolved of blame is a miniature version of the left's belief that America invites all its troubles. With illegal immigration, greedy owners of commerce and fescue are to blame. By refusing to pay living wages, they entice "guest workers" into servitude and then treat them "less than human" by declining to extend privileges of citizenship.

That was the view that has framed this debate in recent weeks. Truth is, the bill's sponsor, state Sen. Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock), could not have been more accommodating. His bill was never about "denying" benefits. It was about verification for eligibility, same as is done with people who apply for Social Security or PeachCare.

Over a 10-week period, Rogers met with more than 50 groups and repeatedly accepted modifications to his bill. That he persevered despite the vilification is a tribute to him. While grass-roots responses are 50-1 supportive, he says, no business group or any other drove passage.

Nobody disputes the nation has an illegal immigration problem that has to be addressed by Congress. And while disagreeing on method, few disagree with the position of U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) that securing the U.S. -Mexico border is first priority. "Once that is done, the other problems are manageable," he said.

But state action, such as the Rogers bill, is important. Inaction does send a message — as the discontinuance of the Immigration and Naturalization Service raids did. It is that you're welcomed, legal or not.

• Jim Wooten is associate editorial page editor. His column runs Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays.