Citizenship Verification for Passports,
Jobs, Benefits & Inmates
Radio Commentary, WMVV 90.7 New Life FM, March 5, 2010
By Sue Ella Deadwyler
Good morning, Jim. A February 11th article in the The Marietta Daily Journal alerted us to a common problem in Georgia – illegal aliens doing contract work that requires verification of U.S. citizenship. The report was prompted after a group called “Jobs for Georgians” reported a subcontractor on Cobb County’s new Superior Courthouse had illegal aliens on the job. The Jobs for Georgians leader said, “Taxpayers are paying for that building to be built. Illegal activity shouldn’t happen anywhere, but certainly not at the cost of citizens for a government building.”
The Jobs for Georgians group said there’s an audio tape that proves illegal workers were paid in cash, were not checked for citizenship under the federal E-verify program and were not paying income tax or social security insurance. The general contractor immediately released the subcontractor and 14 block-layers on the project. But, a bill has been introduced to close the legal loophole allowing that to happen.
On February 16th Representative Rick Austin of District 10 in Demorest introduced H.B. 1164 to fix the problem. It directs the Department of Audits and Accounts to require reports from state or local agencies that they comply with citizenship requirements for contract workers that provide physical services. H.B. 1164 requires jails to fingerprint prisoners and send a copy to the Department of Homeland Security, where citizenship is verified.
If H.B. 1164 passes, illegal aliens could not get an airport badge or cash assistance or assistance for childcare. They could not get community transportation, a farm loan or a government badge or passport or homestead exemption. In other words, if they cannot prove they are citizes of the United States, they would not be eligible for public benefits or jobs on government projects.
Please call Representative Wendell Willard at 404 656-5125* and ask him to pass H.B. 1164 out of his Judiciary committee. If this bill were to pass, its enforcement could save millions of tax dollars and solve a multitude of problems throughout the state. For Georgia Insight I’m Sue Ella Deadwyler, your Capitol correspondent.