Could Illegal Immigration Laws Hurt Our Economy?

Dear Ms. Harris and Northeast Cobb,

There have been a couple of letters in this column about illegal immigration and its affect on our community jobs and economy.

There is good news. Republican Matt Ramsey of Peachtree City is sponsoring HB 87 that would require businesses with more than four employees to use a federal database (called E-Verify) to check the immigration status of new hires.

Here's the bad news: I learned Monday that a group of over 200 businessmen, most in Georgia's agriculture industries, sent a letter to state lawmakers saying that the proposed E-Verify legislation against illegal immigration would hurt our economy.

Among the people who signed the letter:  Zippy Duvall, president of the Georgia Farm Bureau; Bryan Tolar, president of the Georgia Agribusiness Council; and Mary Kay Woodworth, executive director of the Georgia Urban Ag Council.

The letter also says the legislation could have a negative impact on the convention business, tourism and international business opportunities for the state.  And it will cost them more money to do business. 

The letter cited an estimate that employers nationwide spent $95 million last year complying with the E-Verify system.

Ramsey insists that E-Verify is a free federal program.

Illegal immigrants are burdening taxpayer-funded resources in our communities, including public schools and jails.

Do we taxpayers allow big business to continue employing illegal immigrants - taking jobs from U.S. citizens and overloading our schools and jails - or do we write our legislators and say 'no more'?

Our voices need to be heard. When do we say enough? Our own people can't get jobs because many occupations dealing with the public require that you are bilingual; English and Spanish. We are burdened with the cost for the illegal immigrants' children in our schools, their medical care, and care for them in our jails.

I'd like to know how my neighbors feel about this legislation, and I'd like to know where we can write to state lawmakers to say enough is enough.

- Mark O'Brien

 If you'd like to reply to Mark, please use the Comment Box below.

Is there an issue or topic that you'd like to vent about? Send your Letter to the Editor to julia.harris@patch.com, and it will appear in this column.