December 2, 2006

Latinos for open borders speak out against Cherokee County ordinance aimed at illegal immigration

Posted by D.A. King at 12:24 pm - Email the author   Print This Post Print This Post  

For those of you who don’t follow illegal immigration in the Spanish language media, a little something here from Atlanta Latino on the Cherokee Board of Commissioners meeting in November concerning local action to slow illegal immigration and employment.

As Atlanta Latino reports, the Latino “activists” [ think paid lobbyists for open borders] were very much against any local enforcement. [ They are firmly against any national law enforcement as well…] I was there and outlined several available tools to the Commissioners, which are also outlined in a Cherokee Tribune column aimed at the Commissioners…here.

There will be a vote Tuesday, December 5 at the meeting that statrts at 6:00 PM. We hope that you can be there. Info here.

Here is the Atlanta Latino story on the last meeting.

Latinos speak out against Cherokee County ordinance
By Eugenia Miranda
emiranda@atlantalatino.com
11/30/2006

Hispanic and non-Hispanic Cherokee County residents, Latino community leaders, lawyers, religious groups and corporate representatives showed up to voice their opinions about an ordinance that would keep undocumented residents from renting apartments or homes in Cherokee County.

Commissioner Karen Mahurin introduced an ordinance a few weeks ago that would fine landlords and even possibly suspend their licenses if they do not verify the immigration status of every tenant they rent to.

More than 100 people attended the public hearing last week, and about another 100 were left outside the Cherokee County Justice Center’s jury assembly room, where the meeting was held.

The convocation started with a prayer, and then, after all other business had been taken care of, proceeded to allow representatives of various groups and residents to present their concerns.

Jerry Gonzalez, the executive director of the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials (GALEO) attended the meeting and said that there was not nearly enough time given to the speakers because there were still many who wanted to speak, but could not because of time constraints.
The commissioners had planned to have 30 minutes for public speakers but ran overtime.

Rosa Salazar, a Mexican-American and long-time Cherokee County resident, was left out of the public hearing because the jury assembly room had already reached capacity when she arrived. Salazar attended another previous public hearing that had to do with road construction, and she angrily expressed her dismay on the situation.

“The room was huge for that hearing, there was an upper level, there was a lower level, there were so many chairs. Why did they put this in the closet? This is a closet compared to the room they had in the last hearing. I live in Cherokee County, I was not allowed to get in there, I was not allowed to speak. Who are these people? Why are there men from Cobb County coming and talking here? King doesn’t even live here!”

THE SPEAKERS

Among the invited speakers was D.A. King, the president of the Dustin Inman Society, an anti-illegal immigrant activist group. King was invited to the meeting to present three tools that the county could implement to crack down on the presence of undocumented immigrants in Cherokee County.

“Contrary to what you have heard tonight, you do have the authority and the means to enforcement immigration laws. I want to commend you on the consideration of the ordinance. I came tonight to point out things that are available to your right now,” said King.

He recommended that the county commissioners use … the federal [Basic] Pilot Program of identification, the SAVE program… 287 G to ensure that contractors hired by the county government are employing legal workers. He cited Mecklenburg County, North Carolina as a success with the 287G federal enforcement program, because the North Carolina county has already put 650 individuals into deportation proceedings.

King also referred back to the United States constitution and said, “The constitution of the United States guarantees each state protection from invasion. Absent, the promised federal protection, that we all can see we do not have, I respectfully plea[d] with you to take advantage of the tools you have while you consider your ordinace

Please read the rest of the story here. Look for quotes from the local errand boy for the open borders lobby, who is employed by Sam Zamarripa…Jerry Gonzalez.