Differing Viewpoints on Immigration Reform Bill

House Bill 87, the Illegal Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act, which would call for businesses with more than 10 workers to verify their citizenship and allow police officers to check the immigration status of suspects, passed in the Georgia General Assembly April 14 and now awaits the signature of Gov. Nathan Deal. The bill's progress has been closely watched in Duluth.

State Sen. Curt Thompson (D-Norcross) and State Rep. Pedro Marin (D-Norcross), both voted against the measure, with Marin recently writing to the governor asking him to veto the bill. State Rep. Tom Rice (R-Norcross) voted for the measure and called claims that the bill could have a deep economic toll “hot air.”

According to the legislative record, the bill passed the Georgia House 122-59 and the Georgia Senate 37-19. 

Thompson wrote in a blog post yesterday that he thought H.B.  87 would "likely cement Georgia’s reputation as anti-immigrant and cause costly litigation." 

Rice said that if money the taxpayers need is going to education and health care for illegal immigrants, it just isn’t fair. “This is just a tightening of the rules,” Rice said at a recent United Peachtree Corners Civic Association legislative update meeting.  “We think it is the right thing to do, that’s why it passed overwhelmingly,” he said.

Marin penned a letter to Gov. Deal last week urging that he not sign the bill into law. Marin said it would have a negative impact on the local and state economy.

“By vetoing this legislation, you have the ability to keep our state safe from a tidal wave of economic damage that would surely come if HB 87 were to become law,” Marin wrote in his letter. 

Marin went on to cite examples of economic problems that he believes could stem from the law, including boycotts of special events, conventions and tourism in the state and negative impact on the agricultural industry. He also expressed concern about taxpayers mounting a legal battle against the bill.

“I think it is all hot air,” said Rice recently of the economic boycotting. “That didn’t happen in Arizona, (which passed similar legislation), and it won’t happen in Georgia.”  He said the bill has been worked on for a long time -- since last summer -- and that he considers it the “best efforts of a lot of people.”

In an letter to his constituents earlier this week, Marin said that he also opposed the bill because it could lead to “ethnic profiling of legal citizens, imposed an unfunded mandate on local law enforcement agencies and bog down small business with red tape….”