New Immigration Law Said to Scare Restaurant Workers
Georgia's restaurant lobby is battling part of a new immigration law that it says is hurting member businesses by scaring away the staff. State Sen. Curt Thompson (D-Tucker) agrees that the law is "a huge drain" on the Norcross economy.
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Georgia's restaurant lobby is battling a new immigration law that it says is hurting member businesses by scaring away the staff. State Sen. Curt Thompson (D-Tucker) agrees that the law is "a huge drain" on the Norcross economy, but his colleague across the aisle says he's heard no complaints.
The Georgia Restaurant Association calculates that some Georgia restaurants are losing $21,000 a month in revenues due to the new state immigration law, Senate Bill 87. That law, passed earlier this year, will eventually require most businesses to check full-time hires' immigration status through the federal E-Verify database.
"These losses are being caused by not being able to fully staff restaurants," said GRA Executive Director Karen Bremer. When staff leave, for whatever reason, the restaurants must cut hours, tables and menus, she explained.
And "the persons applying for the jobs are just not qualified," she contended, for the hard work and demands of a kitchen.
She hinted at modest kitchen pay as well, noting that restaurants have been able to serve diners at fairly affordable prices. If restaurant costs go up, that may change.
However, she also noted that the survey was sent to some 3,000 restaurant e-mail addresses in late October and early November; of those, about 500 sent an answer. About 375 of those reported a labor shortage.
Some portion of that 500 responses included financial information about losses. It's from that pool that GRA calculated the $21,000 monthly loss.
"My district is on the I-85 corridor. We have Jimmy Carter Boulevard and Buford Highway. So we're probably ground zero for the effect," said Thompson, speaking after a Nov. 15 meeting of the state Senate Democratic Special Committee on Immigration and Georgia Economy, which he chairs.
Norcross Republican State Rep. Tom Rice voted for SB 87 earlier this year and stands by the E-Verify provisions. "In the district I serve I have not heard from one restaurant owner who suffers from a lack of staff due to this bill," Rice wrote in an email to Patch. "I do believe that jobs of any kind should be reserved for those who are legally here," he concluded.
Yet the GRA's Bremer insists the law has had an "alarming" impact on her members' kitchens and dining rooms.
Indeed, the law goes beyond E-Verify. Senate Bill 87 also makes it a crime to knowingly transport or shelter an illegal immigrant and gives local police the right to demand proof of legal residency during any routine traffic stop or other interaction. A range of activists are against that, from churches to the Southern Poverty Law Center to the American Civil Liberties Union. The last two are parties to a federal suit against the state over the transportation, harboring and local police provisions. A judge has suspended those parts until a hearing takes place.
Overall, Bremer said, "our workers are scared and leaving the cities."
Thompson said his district has seen a bit of an "exodus."
Some state Senate Democrats have called for the entire repeal of SB 87, something unlikely in political reality. Thompson stopped short of calling for repeal, saying that instead of writing state laws, Georgia needs to spend its political capitol on lobbying Washington for comprehensive immigration reform.
Francis
9:18 pm on Thursday, November 17, 2011
Activists have added almost two dozen new co-sponsors in the last two weeks in which Congress has been in session! Our best hope for reducing illegal immigration is Rep. Lamar Smith's H.R. 2885, the 50-state mandatory E-Verify bill. The bill would block illegal aliens from stealing jobs that Americans deserve--and cause them to start leaving the country.
Now we've got momentum for pushing this bill through. You probably remember that H.R. 2885 passed through the Judiciary Committee in July but has languished since, awaiting co-sponsorships from U.S. Representatives and behind-the-scenes approval from House leaders. A few weeks ago NumbersUSA asked pro-sovereignty groups, patriotic Americans and members to thrust your Representatives into co-sponsoring E-Verify. Results are flooding in now. We've gone from only 42 co-sponsors to 64 right now. That's huge progress! And more than 30 of these co-sponsors are committee or subcommittee chairmen!
Can Americans imagine the difference in America when every new employee is checked for the legal right to work in this country?
Francis
9:21 pm on Thursday, November 17, 2011
The greater majority of the TEA PARTY approve of this legislation, to pass this legislation, so that no business is exempt from using E-Verify. That in violating this potential law could not merely be prosecuted with hard fines, but amputation of business assets and a term of imprisonment. We must impose a internal federal law, with recruitment of more ICE auditors to check that mandatory E-Verify is being implemented, to safeguard American workers jobs. With an estimated 8.2 million foreign nationals with jobs, to eject some from the labor force could make a huge dent in the 22 million legal workers who are unemployed.
If the illegal alien parent cannot find a job, then he/she will certainly benefit from going to his homeland, taking his spouse and children with him/her. This will indicate less overcrowded public education, medical care and a reduction in the prison populace. The TEA PARTY majority will vote to amend the instant citizenship for babies of illegal alien parents. The TEA PARTY will close loopholes and cut funding to Sanctuary cities or eliminate those ordinances. The Tea PARTY will not vote for any form of Amnesty and will amend the ‘Chain Immigration’ laws, which along with citizenship babies, unless one parent is a US citizen.
Francis
9:26 pm on Thursday, November 17, 2011
This will include airport entrances of tourists, students and other persons so the visa overstays can be effortlessly locate if they abscond. Farmers will have to supplement their labor, with a reasonable wage, benefits housing and not allow their employed to become yet another financial weight on taxpayers as health care and children’s schooling. Additionally expedited visas should be approved for peak skilled occupations, that would like to immigrate from other lands, but introduce any restrictions including the border fence to prohibit any individuals—illegal aliens and criminals.
States with massive concentrations of illegal aliens, have suffered financially, with California at the top with Nevada and Arizona following close behind. Then the Governors of Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Indiana have recognized the taxpayer’s money they could save, if they enacted police laws to deter more economic aliens from homesteading. The state Governor of Arizona Jan Brewer and other State legislators had the spine, to speak up about the failure of years of an inept governments to construct the border fence; in not prosecuting businesses who are the chief offenders that have encouraged the 20 to 25 million nationals living illegally in every state, including Hawaii.
Francis
9:27 pm on Thursday, November 17, 2011
CALL TODAY! AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!
Phone the Washington switchboard at 202-224-3121 and then undeviating callers to all House Representatives, accountable for moving Chairman Lamar Smith's ‘Legal Workforce Act’ (bill H.R.2885) to the House floor and enactment. Call the ‘Ways and Means Committee led by Majority Speak John Boehner (R-OH) must adopt the Mandatory E-Verify Bill (H.R. 2885.) and should be under ceaseless condemnation of challenging voters, as never before. In just over two weeks, American activists have added Reps. Chip Cravaack (R-Minn.), Tim Johnson (R-Ill.), Reps. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.) and Joe Walsh (R-Ill.), Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.) John Sullivan (R-Okla.) Rep. Ralph Hall (R-Texas), Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) , Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-Md.) and Rep. Pete Olson (R-Texas)and as of November 17, Rep. Jo Bonner (R-Alabama) is now co-sponsoring House Judiciary Chairman Lamar Smith's Legal Workforce Act (H.R.2885.) New members are rapidly joining this marathon bill. But don’t expect Liberals or career Democrats to attach themselves to this law. Eventually it will be the fresh faces of the TEA PARTY leadership that will bring success. ONLY 36MORE CO-SPONSORS TO APPROVE (bill H.R.2885.)
Francis
9:27 pm on Thursday, November 17, 2011
, establish a platform for keeping discretionary spending down. No matter how it hurts—as painful as it is-- we must start to reduce the 15 Trillion dollars, However, having to Repeat continuously a wearisome mantra, that this country has a colossal illegal immigration problem and that its emptying the welfare safety-net for the legal population falls on deaf ears, specifically in the Liberal section of Democrats. To telescope the estimated $113 billion (Heritage Foundation) dollar figure and climbing, so we must demand that both Democrats and Republicans sponsor these run away arrears.
The Liberal press or other media are continuous in not labeling the difference between a legal immigrant who has a working visa and an illegal alien who is a criminal fugitive who stole into America.
Francis
9:28 pm on Thursday, November 17, 2011
MORE POLITICIANS ARE HEADING TO THE FINISHING LINE FOR APPROVING E-VERIFY.
Every day now the House of Representatives are moving this most crucial of bills, to institute E-VERIFY--Lamar Smith's Legal Workforce Act (H.R.2885.) It is political anguish to learn that Sen. Harry Reid’s (D-NV) and many Democrats are withholding many other bills from reaching the Senate floor. Nevada is currently another epicenter for swarms of illegal migrants and immigrants who headed there to work, before the housing boom collapse. Senator Reid of all people should desire to begin the removal of illegal aliens, who have moved into the state and living of taxpayers. As of today they are progressing quite rapidly towards a ‘Balance Budget Amendment’ so that the federal government can at least in essence,
John Berry
2:14 pm on Friday, November 18, 2011
If the new law scares illegal aliens into leaving the state or even the country, that is what it is supposed to do. They didn't get the rights to stay, work or raise a family by crossing the border without permission.
As for the farms, restaurants, construction companies and others that depend on illegal foreign labor to get their jobs done, they need to get over it. If their entire business model is based on illegal labor, they should be doomed to fail.
There are presently between 12 and 20 million foreign citizens here without permission. They wanted to make sure Americans knew they were here. We noticed.
We noticed there are FAR too many of them. 80% of Americans want them to go back where they came from. If it hurts companies that based their business on them, they chose that business model, not us. Both they and their illegal alien employees knew the risk of deportation coming in. They have none to blame except themselves.
Sheila Wiessel
4:10 pm on Friday, November 18, 2011
What happened to?---The law is the law--These people are here in our country because they chose to break our law--They need to go home and apply to come here the legal way--If you or I break the law we go to jail--Duh! If you go into their country illegally they will put you in jail or kill you. They come here illegally and our stupid representatives give them free health care, food stamps, housing and let them work, send their money back to Mexico and pay no taxes. How stupid are we to keep electing these idiots. Companies here that hire these people should be boycotted right out of business. Sheila
Francis
4:24 pm on Friday, November 18, 2011
Only the TEA PARTY has a serious concern to reduce the federal government size, trash the tax code, close loopholes for corporate, business and the complicity for campaign donor friends inside the Democrats, GOP, and selling citizens’ continuously to the highest bidder to ‘K’ street lobbyists. Our only hope is the TEA PARTY, the ordinary American who can rid us of the corruption in the center of government. Just in the last few days we have heard of ‘Insider Trading’ that is allowed for politicians, but outsiders—THE AMERICAN PEOPLE—will go to prison. Only the TEA PARTY can save America now from the decay that is deeply ingrained in Washington.
Lamar Smith’s, a Texas lawmaker was inspired to produce this piece of legislation, goes to the heart of the matter of immigration and its rapidly rising cost. Those businesses of every type have encouraged poverty from every country--to settle here. Unlike most developed countries illegal immigration is a felony, not a civil infraction as in the good old USA. They have caused this incredulous infection that has contaminated our country with a large chunk of discretionary spending, to support these people. That has affected each of the 50 states financial shortfalls for decades. The major majority realize now that we cannot keep accepting people who are desperate, and placing a strain of financial weight on public schools for their children, the hospitals and an overpopulated penal system.
Francis
4:25 pm on Friday, November 18, 2011
No finger is pointed at any person’s race, color or spiritual dedication, but anybody who has arrived here through any means, with intent to grab as much free welfare assistance as possible. A MANDATORY E-VERIFY SYSTEM will deliver relief from illegal aliens in the labor market. Revised E-Verify is already expelling foreigners who are stealing jobs from the unfortunate 22 million workers, even though it has the Liberal press who denies its effectiveness. Unbelievable the main culprit that had an obligation to the American people through many changes of administration, have failed to close all loopholes in stringent enforcement. Not even the border fence has been completed--or any serious laws to hold businesses accountable for the damage caused by illegal alien labor. Going to Google you can help determine the terrible toll place on this nation, by out-of-control immigration. Our strength is in our votes and you can contact your political leader through NumberrsUSA.
Francis
4:26 pm on Friday, November 18, 2011
You can read all about corruption at Judicial Watch website, you can either contact ICE website, to report illegal aliens working. You can even join a local TEA PARTY online. You have to wonder who Obama and the Department of Justice as our Public Servants are obligated too. It certainly not to assist the majority of the citizens and legal residents, as the President and the judicial branch have been asserting their power on Arizona, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and now Indiana. All these states want to do is inhibit economic aliens from going there and ransacking the welfare and public entitlement programs.
As of November 18, Rep. Joe Heck (R-Nev.) and Rep. Alan Nunnelee (R-Miss.) is now co-sponsoring House Judiciary Chairman Lamar Smith's Legal Workforce Act (H.R.2885.) adding to the astounding 12 more lawmakers in the last two weeks, bringing the number of co-sponsors to 65, who wanting this law to reach the floor of the house of Representatives.
Francis
4:27 pm on Friday, November 18, 2011
The Washington switchboard at 202-224-3121 is already inundated with infuriated callers, who are justifiably contacting not only the House ‘Ways and Means Committee led by Majority Speak John Boehner (R-OH) on this import legislation. Whoever answers the phone explain to them you are a voter and want your policymaker to sponsor this bill. You can also insisting that all of Congress, on both sides of the chamber co-sponsor this beneficial Bill. Every TEA PARTY member throughout America should join in communicating with every state and US Senator and Congressman.
Once we get illegal immigration under control, then ‘THE People’ can enact a standardized ‘Guest Worker’ program’ for agriculture, but with good regulated pay, conditions that must be observed. Not the incorrigible way some farmers are treating their charges today.
Attn: We must all be watchful of illegal aliens voting in the future election cycle.
David Manley
6:03 pm on Friday, November 18, 2011
Even if the State statutes were eliminated, it would still be against the law to hire undocumented workers. Because 375 out of 3000 responded that they had labor shortages, the entire GRA is against enforcement of the immigration law because workers that were hired in violation of the law, and should not have been hired in the first place, are leaving. On the other hand, I do not hear of any efforts by the GRA to have a guest worker statute passed that would protect foreign workers from being underpaid and abused. The lesson GRE leaves us with is it should be OK to violate a law for economic reasons if you are not likely to be caught.