H.B. 87 "The Illegal Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act of 2011" is an Arizona SB 1070 style law that was passed by Georgia lawmakers in March and signed into law by Governor Nathan Deal in May. Passed under the same guise as its predecessors (Federal failure to enforce immigration law, unsecured borders etc), this law according to Georgia's agricultural industry is already having an adverse economic impact. Though not in effect until July 1, 2011 nearly half of Georgia Farmers in a recent poll indicate that they are experiencing labor shortages that have the potential to put "at risk" hundreds of millions of dollars in crops.
Migrant workers are fearful and are leaving Georgia and businesses catering to undocumented workers are beginning to experience an economic impact as well.
Governor Nathan Deal expected that there would be some hiccups and amidst complaints from the agricultural industry has also requested a study of the economic impact the new law is having on the industry. In the interim the Governor has proposed that probationers be used to fill in the gaps left due to the absence of migrant workers to mixed reviews.
Nobody knows for sure what the economic impact will be, it's too early to tell and as of right now the ACLU is challenging the law. A hearing was scheduled for today at 10:00 am in front of U.S. District Judge Thomas Thrash. My concern is the same concern that activists expressed in Arizona and in Utah. Will this law result in racial profiling? Those impacted by the law seem to think so, because they are leaving. Supporters of the law say that this is exodus is the desired affect. Supporters are glad that undocumented folk are leaving the state because it will be less taxing on our schools and hospitals. In the meantime, as the ACLU and others continue to fight against these laws I stand in support with them. In my mind and out of my mouth I have said that the genie is already out of the bottle. I'm in support of a pathway to citizenship and am vehemently against these laws that instill fear in people who came here because they were in fear at home. Folks are having to face fear on all sides. Fear of getting caught here and fear of getting caught up in violence when returning to their former country.
Once again lawmakers are acting on the politics of fear. What to do you say? Are you in support states regulating immigration or should this (as is the law) the realm of the Federal government. Please weigh-in in the comments.
Photo: Protesting Georgia's HB87 via Hispanically Speaking News
Update: Judge Thrash will make a decision before July 1, when many parts of this law will take effect. I don't want to read to much into it but there is a glimmer hope. "He questioned its purpose, suggested it would not be enforced consistently across state’s 159 counties and said local authorities could pick and choose who to target with it, favoring some people and not others." Should the judge block the law from going into effect, supporters of HB 87 have already queued up an appeal. For more details go here.
2 comments:
Steve Swimmer wrote:
HB 87 is more of the same racist discriminatory actions White Georgia politicians in the majority have always touted. Only, today, they hide behind thin curtains of law, and spew their hate filled vitriol in the Latin immigrant direction.
I live here, in Georgia, a long time resident; and, I know for an unequivocal fact: Georgia is home to many of the most hateful racists in the world. And with no doubt in any Georgian’s mind, only slightly hidden racism is rampant in our state politics. Here, HB 87 is proof positive the old time racists are at it again.
Old time favorite racists like Joe Wilson, Georgia’s counterpart to “you lie” Joe Wilson (all these racists look alike), old buddy of Gov. Deal and the rest of those fellow travelers, shows off Georgia political racism in full unbridled pride in Miller V. Johnson (515 U.S. 900, 115 S. CT. 2475, U.S.Ga, 1995).
In the opinion, our Great Nation’s SCOTUS shows you how racists Georgia politicians pulled every string in the book to keep Georgia’s Black population out of the voting booths. The Court quotes Joe Wilson, the racist Georgia legislator: “I don't want to draw nig_ger districts.”
These Court decisions and congressional directions significantly reduced voting discrimination against minorities. In the 1972 election, Georgia gained its first black Member of Congress since Reconstruction, and the 1981 apportionment created the State's first majority-minority district.FN1 This voting district, however, was not gained easily. Georgia created it only after the United States District Court for the District of Columbia refused to preclear a predecessor apportionment plan that included no such district-an omission due in part to the influence of Joe Mack Wilson, then Chairman of the Georgia House Reapportionment Committee.**2502 As Wilson put it only 14 years ago, “ ‘I don't want to draw nig_ger districts.’ ” Busbee v. Smith, 549 F.Supp. 494, 501 (DC 1982)
So…, you see Georgia is a racist state politically controlled today by the very same “Joe Wilson” racist mentality of only a few years past.
Let’s be real clear here: This Gov. Deal lead attack on the Latin community is exactly the same attack he and his ilk always perpetrate in their racists zeal to keep the “Lilly White” agenda in absolute control.
Thanks for the comment Steve. We will be facing an uphill battle again during redistricting.
Georgia's racist history has reared its head. From what I see of this law and the treatment of Latinos in my district, the it's not even thinly veiled, it is overt.
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