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According to the primary ballot questions, an overwhelming majority of Gwinnett voters, both Republican and Democrat, favor stricter enforcement of immigration laws; the enactment in Georgia of a law similar to the new Arizona law; prosecution of employers who hire illegal workers; and/or requiring employers to verify the employment eligibility of their workers.
To date, the Gwinnett County Commission has failed to do anything more than the bare minimum required by state law, despite the fact that Gwinnett has the largest immigrant community in the southeast; drug cartels are using the county as a way station to the East Coast; illegal immigrants constitute a significant drain on public resources; and numerous local jobs are lost to ineligible workers.
I addressed the Commission in 2007, asking them to adopt an ordinance requiring employers to check their new hires through the federal E-Verify system, as have many other jurisdictions. Since then, I have had numerous conversations with individual Commissioners on the topic and have even developed a guideline for a multi-faceted enforcement effort.
As a result of my research of the issue, two years ago I started a company that is certified as a Designated Agent of the E-Verify program. We have client companies in dozens of states including Arizona and Utah, the states with the strictest illegal immigration laws. Sadly, we have only one client in Gwinnett. (A growing number of Gwinnett businesses are voluntarily enrolled in E-Verify. A few, like E.R. Snell Construction, have being verifying their new hires for years.)
Two months ago, I encouraged the Commission to make a public statement in support of the new Arizona law. Just in case they didn't fully understand the issue, I wrote the resolution for them.
To date, nothing.
Perhaps, the results of the primary vote will serve as a wake-up call. If not that, it may be the deaths of innocent bystanders at the next cartel kidnapping or drug-related, Hispanic gang shootout that finally wake them up.
My draft resolution:
WHEREAS, Gwinnett County affirms the sovereignty of the United
States, the integrity of its borders and the Constitutional authority
and duty of the Federal government to guard and to protect those
borders; and
WHEREAS, the Federal government has neglected to guard and protect
our borders, and thereby failed to protect the citizens of Gwinnett
County and all Americans from an unprecedented invasion of illegal
aliens; and
WHEREAS, the State of Arizona, suffering the deleterious
consequences of this failure and neglect, has passed Arizona Senate
Bill 1070 which was signed by Governor Jan Brewer on April 23, 2010;
and
WHEREAS, the law makes unlawful immigration a state crime under
Arizona law, enforceable by any Arizona law enforcement official;
provides for sanctions against employers who hire immigrants who are
not legally in the United States; and further provides that
enforcement shall be consistent with Federal laws regulating
immigration, thus protecting the civil rights of all persons and
respecting the privileges and immunities of United States citizens;
and
WHEREAS, the law also provides that law enforcement officials
cannot consider race, color, or national origin in the enforcement of
the law, except as permitted by the United States or Arizona
Constitution;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Commissioners and the
citizens of Gwinnett County, Georgia stand with the people of Arizona
and honor the initiative and the courage of the Arizona State
Legislature and Governor Jan Brewer in their actions to protect their
citizens and the borders of our great nation.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be
transmitted to Governor Brewer and to each chamber of the Arizona
State Legislature. |
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Last Edited On: 07/24/2010 23:05 By Bob Griggs for the Reason typo |
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