“Anti-Immigration Groups in Georgia: The Current Context in 2005”

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“Anti-Immigration Groups in Georgia: The Current Context in 2005”

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• Publié par: emivyces
• Nombre de lectures: 105
• Langue: Français

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Immigration: Facts, Myths and Public Policy Volume I

          “Anti-Immigration Groups in Georgia: The Current Context in 2005”

September 29, 2005

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS    This series of papers,Immigration: Facts, Myths and Public Policy, is a compilation of well over two years of research conducted by many interested parties. As editors, we gratefully acknowledge the support and commitment we received from many contributors to bring this project to fruition.   Organizational Support   •Center for Hispanic Studies at Kennesaw State University •Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials (GALEO) •GALEO Latino Community Development Fund   We acknowledge and thank theAnti-Defamation League(ADL) for the expertise they provided in preparing “Anti-Immigrant Groups in Georgia: The Current Context 2005.” Although the ADL did not participate in preparing the other sections in this series, as one of the leading civil rights organizations fighting hatred and bigotry against all, the ADL supports this effort to educate the community about these important issues.   A substantial part of the initial research was conducted byRebecca Serna, a 2006 Fulbright Scholar to Colombia, who is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Urban Policy at Georgia State University, specializing in economic development and policy analysis. We owe much to Rebecca, and appreciate her constant dedication to the research endeavor, which led to the development of this project.   In addition, we extend our appreciation to the following individuals for their support in the areas of research, writing and editing:   •Laura Burns, Emory University •Nicole Faurot, Emory University •Ben King, University of Michigan   •Carlos Lares, Kennesaw State University •Aldo Lozano, Georgia State University •Dax Lopez, Esq., Ashe Rafuse & Hill LLP •Ph.D. Candidate, University of Georgia – Athens, School ofDarlene Xiomara Rodriguez, Public and International Affairs •Alvaro Solares, MPA     Senior Editor: Robert A. DeVillar, PhD Director, Center for Hispanic Studies Professor, Bagwell College of Education Kennesaw State University   Coordinating Editor: Jerry Gonzalez, MPA Executive Director Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials (GALEO) & GALEO Latino Community Development Fund  

 

Research Series on Immigration

Immigration: Facts, Myths and Public Policy

Introduction   On January 7, 2004, President Bush renewed a national dialog on immigration reform, declaring our immigration system as a failed policy in need of reform to ensure national security, to continue economic development and to protect the rights and dignity of the millions of undocumented workers. 1  In addition, the President pledged to Mexican President Vicente Fox his continued commitment to work on a “compassionate” and “rational, common-sense immigration policy.” However, his pledge was tempered with the clarification that as President, he is not a member of the U.S. Congress, and could not promise that the U.S. Congress would reach a solution. 2     Governor Sonny Perdue recently supported President Bush’s call for immigration reform stating, “I applaud the President. We have a certain degree of hypocrisy about how we treat immigrants. Nevertheless, it’s the moral, right thing to do to address immigrants, documented and undocumented, to meet the needs

                                                  1 Bush Proposes New Temporary Worker Program, 1/7/04,President http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/01/20040107-3.html  2 with President Fox and Prime Minister Martin, 3/23/05,President Meets http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/03/20050323-5.html 

Immigration: Facts, Myths and Public Policy    A collaborative work between The Center for Hispanic Studies at Kennesaw State University, the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials (GALEO) & the GALEO Latino Community Development Fund. i  

 

of workers and citizens in our country.”Governor Perdue explicitly recognizes the importance of the Latino community as an asset as Georgia competes to become the Secretariat of the Free Trade Area of the Americas. 3  fact, the Latino In community’s importance extends beyond Georgia and affects the South itself. Citing the approaching retirement of baby boomers and accompanying labor shortfalls, the Southern Growth Policies Board’s 2004 report 4  “the concludes: South’s future depends in large measure on the performance of the foreign-born population.” 5  Globally Competitive South report supports defining The immigration policy as a pressing market need, given the demographic circumstances of heightened immigration to the South and, more specifically to Georgia, the dependence of many segments of Georgia’s economy on low-wage labor. Many Georgia industries—including agriculture, health care, hospitality, construction and higher education—re ly upon immigrant labor, whether documented or undocumented, which contributes to maintaining a cap on costs. 6  

                                                  3  Latino Newspaper, 2/4/05.Rincon, Melissa. “What is Governor Perdue saying about Hispanics?” Atlanta 4 Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue is an officer of the Board of Directors. 5 Jim Clinton, Carol Conway, and Linda Hoke, "The Globally Competitive South (Under Construction)," in 2004 Report on the Future of the South(Southern Growth Policies Board: a project of the Global Strategies Council, 2004). 6 Jim Clinton, Carol Conway, and Linda Hoke, "The Globally Competitive South (Under Construction)," in 2004 Report on the Future of the South(Southern Growth Policies Board: a project of the Global Strategies Council, 2004).

Immigration: Facts, Myths and Public Policy    A collaborative work between The Center for Hispanic Studies at Kennesaw State University, the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials (GALEO) & the GALEO Latino Community Development Fund. ii