Hunger Strike In Protest to HB87 by Mableton Georgia Men

This Press Release was found on another site and is posted here  for awareness.

Press Conference

DATE:       Tuesday, July 12

TIME:        10am

WHERE:  Hunger Strike HQ,  6143 Mableton Parkway, Mableton, GA 30126 (Yellow House next to Shell Gas Station)
CONTACT:  Rich Pellegrino, Director of the Cobb Immigrant Alliance (CIA)
ORGANIZATION:  Cobb Immigrant Alliance
VOICE PHONE NUMBER:  404-573-1199

For Immediate Release:

Hunger Strike In Protest to HB87 by Mableton Men

Mableton , Georgia – July 11, 2011-  

Two middle-aged Hispanic men began a hunger strike protest on July 1^st, the day HB 87 took effect in Georgia .

From their small, oppressively hot, and airless Mableton apartment, Martin Altamirano and Salvador Zamora sip water and talk.

They explain why they believe they had no other non-violent option in raising immigration reform awareness than to use their bodies. 

Martin, a small, dark, curly-haired mechanic, was born in Honduras .  He came to the United States following the politically inspired murder of two friends, one a professor, the other his co-worker in the Red Cross.  

Granted temporary permanent status after applying for asylum, Martin had to leave his daughters, who were not included in his visa papers. He says that he is fasting for them, as well as for all undocumented brothers and sisters. 

Tall and resplendent in white shirt and trousers, Salvador ’s eyes reflect the weight and pain he feels for the 11 million undocumented people living in the United States . 

Softly, with a quiet voice, he patiently tells his story.   Salvador left his family as an adventurous teenager wanting to make money and to have a better life.  At 16 he toiled long, hot days in California tomato fields. 

Then in 1986, President Ronald Reagan signed an immigration bill allowing him to pursue citizenship.

A debilitating accident some years later left the arms of this six-foot plus man weakened, to the point he can no longer work as a field hand. 

Salvador ’s strength lies in his passion to provide others the same opportunities President Reagan gave him.

He met Martin several months ago in Washington , D.C. after finishing a 3,000 mile walk from California to the White House.  His walk was a solitary effort to raise immigration reform awareness along the route.  Eight pairs of shoes later he reached the Capital.  The trek took months, and when the snow-covered ground was too cold to sleep on, his brother joined him with a van.

Driven to desperation and grieving over Georgia ’s brutal anti-immigrant bill, Salvador and Martin spent hours laboriously writing out the purpose and goals of their hunger strike.

The goal is to focus on reform instead of the current enforcement-only, harsh approach endorsed by Arizona , Georgia , Alabama , and other incarceration- minded states.  They challenge the media to investigate police and prison/detention systems, questioning if Governor Nathan Deal and Republican legislators receive political contributions from the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA).  The CCA houses, at taxpayer expense, a for-profit prison system.

In addition, their goals include community dialogue and education to acknowledge that everyone has gained and benefitted from immigrant laborers and their families.

 Hopefully, they men think that these strong family units will continue to add to the economy and future of the America . 

              ###

Statement of Hunger Strike Purpose:

 

 

We, Martin Altamirano and Salvador Zamora, are on a hunger strike.  Left with no alternative, we now sacrifice our bodies, because we firmly believe HB 87, is a hateful anti-immigrant law aimed at us and our brothers and sisters.      

 

We believe undocumented people are a SOCIAL issue, not a political banner. 

 

We believe human status should not be used to get votes by Governor Nathan Deal and Georgia legislators with a purpose to inflict fear and suffering on others.   

 

We challenge the enforcement only mentality of our Legislators, Governor and President Obama by calling attention to this pain and fear it causes us and our brothers and sisters.  

 

We believe these laws are immoral and they empower police to become oppressors and use racial profiling tactics.    

 

Enough is enough, for us. 

 

GOALS:

1.     Work Towards Immigration Reform Awareness

• Solve the outdated immigration system at the national level for a just, fair, and practical plan.

• Facts:  11 million people are undocumented, and 4 million children in the United States have one undocumented parent.   

• Halt the “enforcement only” policy used by Homeland Security, the Obama Administration, and Georgia ’s HB 87 passed by Governor Nathan Deal and the Republican legislature.

2.     Work Towards Passage of the Dream Act

• Pass the Dream Act to allow students an opportunity to give back to society through higher education or military service and earn citizenship.  Without the Dream Act, after high school they are relegated to an underground life depriving everyone of their talents, skills, and enthusiasm.

3.     Halt Neighborhood and Worksite Raids and Round-ups

• Bring awareness of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), actions that encourage local police to abandon crime prevention and arrest for work that is a federal responsibility.

• ICE agent behaviors appear synonymous with Gestapo tactics in attitude and armament, and it seems to be an attempt to ethnically cleanse communities of Hispanic people.

• Bring awareness to the fact that being in the United States unlawfully is a civil violation, not a criminal violation. 

• Raid brutality ensnares everyone under the guise of  hunting dangerous criminals.  The fallout strips  communities of tax revenues;  bills go unpaid, homes and apartments are abandoned as families are forcefully separated

4.     Encourage Better Understanding of Police and Legal Systems

• Bring awareness to these facts:

1.     Driving without a license is a misdemeanor, not a felony.

2.     Overstaying a visa is a misdemeanor, not a felony.

3.     Undocumentation is not a criminal offense.

4.     Unlawful presence in the United States is a civil violation, not a criminal violation.

5.     Entering the United States without a visa is a misdemeanor, not a felony.

• Racial profiling and discrimination are by-products of laws like HB 87.

• Immigrant communities do not have a higher crime rate than non-immigrant communities.

• Detained individuals, most of whom are not dangerous criminals, and their families, should be treated with dignity; including affordable telephone contact, visitations, legal access, and other human rights.  

 

5.  Expose the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA)

             

• Ask local media to investigate the cost of CCA in taxes to communities, states and federal government. 

• Facts:

1.  The CCA (which is a privately-owned, for-profit organization) promotes itself to small rural communities as a business to bring jobs and boost local economies.   Many communities find personnel are hired elsewhere and when brought in are considered “bullies and undesirables” in once cohesive, quiet towns.

2.  The CCA abandons sites, leaving local taxpayers footing community bond bills that had been raised for the building of the prisons/detention centers.

• Ask the local media to investigate CCA political donations.

• Ask local media to investigate the CCA detention centers and local jails where men and women are spirited away during the night without warning to their lawyers, families, or themselves. 

5.  Educate Local Communities and Leaders with Facts, and Put a Face and Name on Immigrant Neighbors.

• Participate in town hall meetings to educate communities about the contributions the undocumented have made through sales taxes, small businesses, home ownership or apartment rentals.

6.  Open Dialogue with Community Leaders and Elected Officials.

             

• Ask community leaders if they are committing economic suicide.

• Ask if the fallow strip malls where mom and pop stores once thrived are good for their community’s appearance and tax revenue.

• Ask if the withered empty apartments and rental properties bode well for attracting new tenants and businesses.

7.   Ask Why the HATE?

June 15, 2011

AALAC denounces Republican lawmakers mandatory nationwide employer use of E-Verify sponsored by Lamar Smith of Texas 



Should this become law it will drive both employers and employees further underground.  Substantial tax revenue will be lost.  Fewer employers will offer health insurance, so fewer people will have it.  That will create a greater burden on medical providers and hospitals.  This will have a ripple effect throughout the economy and country.  Thumbs Down!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Atlanta Journal -

Survey suggests farm labor shortage in Georgia.  

Governor Deal has a "partial" solution - in the corrections system.  

According to many, HB87, the Anti - Immigration Bill passed earlier this year has caused migrant farm workers to avoid Georgia.  Farmers don't have the labor needed to harvest the crops of hand picked vegetables and fruits.  

Governor Deal wants to draft unemployed former prisoners who are on probation and parole.  Some minds harken back to the days of the Georgia Chain Gang.  Others fear the need for labor will cause more arrests and convictions in order to meet seasonal labor demands.  One in 13 Georgians are already under the umbrella of the Criminal Justice System.  It's one of the highest rates in the Nation.  

The crops now rotting in the field had been planted when HB87 was signed.  Some wonder if prisoners will be enlisted to plant next season crops or if farmers will switch to other crops which can be harvested by machines.  

This might be a short term,  temporary "fix" but has many flaws.  Prisoners aren't farmers, few have the skill set needed to plant and harvest a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.  It's a migrant job meaning those with criminal records will be moving from one community to the next.  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PolitiFacts Says Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Wage Figures for Farm Workers are...

ICE Raids Net Innocent People

 This article seems a bit vague, but that could be because the reporter was getting conflicting information. 

 FORT MORGAN, Colo. (AP) - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in a statement announced the arrest of 11 people in Fort Morgan. KUSA-TV reports that the raids took place at Wildcat Dairy that resulted in 40 other people being detained but later let go. The station reports that 50 of the dairy's 60 workers are gone.

 Not only are the cows distressed, no doubt many people are as well.  FORTY (yes, 40) were apparently detained and eventually released, and eleven (11) were arrested.  That seems like a WIDE sweep.   Did those 40  workers decide working where they may be targeted wasn't worth the emotional toll on their well-being? 

Police Chief Keith Kuretich (KEHR-etch) and dairy owner Ed Wilgenburg did not immediately return messages left by The Associated Press.  

ICE says 20 egregious violators were indicted by a state grand jury on accusations that they possessed or used fraudulent "green cards" and Social Security cards to obain employment in the United States.

Is it that ICE could find only 11 of the 20 indicted people?  Or was information later deemed to be faulty resulting in the other 9 being released?

Read more: http://www.kmcx.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=353692&article=8658200&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter#ixzz1ONwZOWFa

Bluffton SC Family Waiting for Justice - Hispanic Hate

Bluffton family waiting for justice: 
Man who assaulted immigrants was set free in 2008 because victims did not have documents

May 17, 2011 from La Voz Latina - Savannah, Georgia

By John Newton, La Voz Latina, Savannah, Ga.

     Four months have passed since Bluffton, South Carolina businessman, Carlos Olivera, was gunned down outside his brother's home by tow truck operator, Preston Oates. But for Carlos' mother, Reyna Zelaya, the pain of losing her youngest child is still fresh, the grief etched into her tear-stained face.

    Olivera, was killed while delivering Christmas presents to his brother Nelson Olivera's family in Bluffton's Edgefield Community on the evening of December 24th. Oates, who had a contract to enforce the community's strict laws against on-street parking, shot and killed Carlos Olivera after the men asked him to remove the immobilizing “boot” he had placed on the family's minivan.

I have to ask if Preston Oates was under contract of a government entity or a private community.  While that doesn't change the loss for the family of  Carlos Olivera, it may change the liability issues and shed light on motivations of the contracting body.  It could also have something to do with reasons for only charging him with Voluntary Manslaughter.  (Could an important entity, individual of family have liability issues - or connections?)

     “There was no argument,” Reyna Zelaya told La Voz Latina. “My son, Nelson, told me they never had an argument with Mr. Oates, only a discussion about this parking problem. My husband and I had seven children and Carlos was the last one, our baby. But everyone in our family loved him and respected his decisions. His company, a paving and architectural contracting business called Bluffton Foundations, was very successful because he was such an intelligent, level-headed person.”

     Originally from  Olancho, Honduras, Mrs. Zelaya's family has lived in the US for nearly 30 years and all family members are either US citizens or legal permanent residents. Older son, Nelson Olivera, moved from Holyoke, Massachusetts to Beaufort County back in 1990, and he soon convinced the rest of his family that South Carolina was a great place for families.

     “My husband and I raised all our children to be calm and peaceful,” Reyna said. “We don't make trouble for anyone, we just talk common sense.”  

     Mrs. Zelaya said it was painful to witness her son's body lying on the ground in front of Nelson Olivera's house for nearly six hours on the cold, rainy night he was slain and the family is still trying to understand why Beaufort County Sheriff P.J. Tanner  did not arrest her son's killer until three days after the slaying.

     “The police said they didn't have enough evidence to hold him and yet, when they arrived, Preston Oates was still holding the pistol he had used to shoot my son six times,” Mrs. Zelaya said. “The police allowed this killer to go home to his family while our family was treated like we were the criminals that night. We were especially shocked when we later discovered how many times this man had been released by the Beaufort County police for crimes he had committed in the past.”

     Citing news reports that, in 2008, Duffie Stone, the Beaufort County solicitor responsible for prosecuting her son's killer today, had dismissed three charges against Preston Oates for assault with intent to kill, Mrs. Zelaya worries that the tow truck driver may escape justice once again.

     “In 2008, this man (Oates) was set free because the Latinos he assaulted had no papers and were afraid to testify in court,” she said. “I'm sure that, when he killed my son, Oates was thinking he could get away with murder again because he believed that all Latinos were illegals and the police would do nothing to protect them from his violence.”

So this is at least the SECOND time he's assaulted Hispanics!  Does South Carolina have "Hate Crimes" statutes?  Are there federal Civil Rights charges under consideration?

     Reyna Zelaya admitted she was very disappointed in February when a Beaufort County Grand Jury indicted Preston Ryan Oates on one count of voluntary manslaughter because she and the rest of the family thought he should be charged with murder.

While I'm not familiar with South Carolina law, voluntary manslaughter does NOT seem appropriate when Carlos Olivara was shot multiple times.  Inadequate!  The possibility that this was an accidental discharge of a firearm - unless it was an automatic weapon - is extremely remote.  The legal definition of law is cited later in the article.  

     “We just hope and pray that the courts will use our son's death as an opportunity to prove to everyone that the legal system in this county is color blind and that everyone receives equal treatment from the law,” she said.

Oates, the alleged offender is white; the deceased victim Hispanic.  Justice was not color blind in the 1860s or in the 1960s; nor is it today.  Far too many see brown skin and ASSUME "illegal" - "criminal" and "guilty" - facts be damned. 

     In January, local resident, Alan McDonald, enlisted a group of friends and neighbors to begin circulating a public petition calling for the charges against Oates to be upgraded to murder. At this point, the group has amassed several thousand signatures from local residents. The family is hoping this petition will send a powerful message to those charged with prosecuting Preston Oates.

One would hope prosecutors would get the message, but so often other political pressures come to bear.  Elected officials, who want re-election sometimes capitalize on "Hispanic Hate" that so many uninformed constituents seem focus on as a reason for all the ills of the world.  Today, "Hispanic Hate" can garner votes and contributions.  Just ask those in the John Tanton affiliated organizations. They've promoting that for years. 

     “My family, my grandchildren and my son Nelson were all there as witnesses when Carlos was killed,” Mrs. Zelaya said. “Nelson told me that Mr. Oates handed him the keys to the boot, then sat in his tow truck for several minutes with plenty of time to call 911, or the police or just drive away. But when Carlos turned his back and tried to walk away, this coward jumped out of his truck and shot him four times in the back, then walked up and calmly shot him once more in his arm and his head. How is this not premeditated? How is this not murder?”

     Mrs. Zelaya also worries about how her grandchildren were affected by witnessing the death of her son on Christmas Eve.

Does South Carolina have crime victim assistance programs available to help with counseling for these children?  Some jurisdictions have "Child Abuse" statues that could also be brought against the alleged perpetrator, in this case Oates.

     “For children, Christmas is supposed to be the happiest time of their lives,” she said. “But our little ones had to witness a brutal murder, then watch as the police, these people with badges they are taught to respect in school, tell the man who had just killed our Carlos to go on home. Today my grandchildren are afraid of the police. They have nightmares and are afraid of the dark. They are all US citizens and I wish they could receive some type of counseling to deal with the terrors of that night.”

     The family is also troubled by the way Nelson Olivera was treated by police after he released a video of his brother's death to local media outlets in mid-January. According to news reports, Sheriff Tanner and Solicitor Stone condemned Olivera for releasing the footage, which was recorded by a neighbor's surveillance system. "  It ( the release of the video) jeopardizes the proper prosecution of the case," Stone said.  If the case goes to trial, a jury has to make their determination of guilt or innocence based on what happens in court, not in the media."

     But Reyna Zelaya makes no apologies and insists that her family is focused on justice, not revenge.

     “We will send video copies of my son's murder all over the country, even to the White House, if that's what it takes to get justice for his death,” she said. “Our case is simple...there is a victim and there is a video. We have lost Carlos forever. All we can do is to make sure that our son's murderer is brought to justice.”

     South Carolina law defines manslaughter as  "the unlawful killing of another without malice, express or implied" " while murder is a more deliberate action, " the killing of any person with malice aforethought, either express or implied”.  A conviction for voluntary homicide carries a penalty of from 2 to 30 years, while the penalty for murder is 30 years to life. Oates also faces weapons charges which carry a penalty of up to five years.


     Reyna Zelaya said today she can only pray that God will help her family to eventually recover from losing Carlos. In the meantime, she said that his wife, Dhayam, has decided to continue the business she started with her husband.

     “Dhayam decided to keep their company going and their employees and clients are all supporting them,” she said.“She doesn't want to let my son's legacy die- Dhayam wants to continue it because Carlos worked so hard to make it a success. This legacy and our memories of the joy he brought to our lives are all we have left.”

It may be time for someone to hire a private investigator and find out who Oates knows and or is related to.  It appears Oates is currently in jail awaiting trial.  Could he be an "inside" informant?  Could he be a person of interest, or suspect in other criminal activity and that investigation is ongoing?    What does his Criminal Record look like?   Justice, especially in the South, and with tightened budgets, does move slowly.  Maybe people should be comforted in knowing he's behind bars for the time being. 

Until an investigation sheds light on the history and situation, one never knows what may be uncovered until all the rocks are turned over. 

Here are some links to articles on the matter: 

http://beauforttribune.com/archives/50338 

http://www.wbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13753252 

http://savannahnow.com/latest-news/2011-02-18/bluffton-sc-tow-truck-operator-indicted-christmas-eve-shooting 

http://www.lowcountrynewspapers.net/archive/2011/01/14/story/investigators-reveal-video-fatal-bluffton-christmas-eve-shooting 

http://www.blufftontoday.com/bluffton-news/2011-03-22/oates-attempts-jail-break  Oates attempts jail break.

http://www.blufftonselfhelp.org/needed-support-for-the-carlos-olivera-family/ 

http://tow411.yuku.com/topic/96978#.TdLq6EcQqSo 

  

FDIC may REQUIRE 20% downpayment on homes

The FDIC may require home buyers make a 20% down payment.  One news source, quotes US Senator Isakson of Georgia, as saying  that will disqualify 60% of purchasers in the state.  He has some thirty years of real estate experience, as a founder of Northside Realty.  According to this statement, he is author of the Dodd-Frank financial reform act of 2010.  

Isakson spoke on the Senate floor to reiterate to Sheila Bair, chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and other federal regulators that he is very troubled by recent suggestions that they might be considering requiring a down-payment as large as 20 percent for a homebuyer to be eligible for the Qualified Residential Mortgage while failing to address the issue of private mortgage insurance. Isakson, along with Senators Mary Landrieu, D-La., and Kay Hagan, D-N.C., authored the Qualified Residential Mortgage provision of the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, also known as the "Dodd-Frank financial reform bill," that was signed into law on July 21, 2010.

According to NAHB (National Association of Home Builders)

Under the Dodd-Frank financial reform law passed last year, lenders are required to have “skin in the game” by retaining five percent of the credit risk of each loan that they sell into the secondary market. The law also called for federal banking regulators to establish rules for a qualified residential mortgage (QRM) that would exempt lenders from these risk retention rules. The Dodd-Frank law exempts FHA and VA loans from the risk retention requirement and the proposed risk retention rules will not apply to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac while they remain in conservatorship.

Where does a young couple getting $20,000 in cash to buy a $100,000 home?  Yes, it's good for people to have a substantial investment in their home and community, but is 20% realistic?  Certainly 0% down wasn't.

Reportedly purchasers may still be able to obtain PIM insurance but at higher rates.  Apparently the FDIC determination will be made in June.  That's just before HB87 will become effective, assuming Governor Deal signs.

It should be noted that Sheila Bair, will leave the FDIC on July 8th:  http://www.viewheadlines.com/News/Article.aspx?i=250041&t=Bair-to-step-down-as-FDIC-chairman-in-July.  Will that alter things?

Some believe the depressed housing market is holding back economic recovery.  But ask yourself.  If people are still unemployed with few prospects in sight, or if they recently found a new job, won't it be at least one year before they are likely to qualify for a mortgage?  The housing issue is likely to persist for some time, possibly a couple of years.

So, housing isn't what is holding back the economy. It's more complicated.  Mortgages were possibly too easy to get with zero down, no doc loans.   Jobs were exported. AGAIN.  Remember when "mill towns" became ghost towns as the mills shut down and those jobs were moved overseas?

Georgian's aren't eager to work 14 hour days harvesting crops in the the scorching sun and high humidity, by hand. Not all crops can be harvested mechanically.  They don't live where the crops are grown.  And what will they do when Georgia crops have been harvested?  How will they earn a living?   If they migrate, as our current agriculture work force does, they won't be here spending money.   And regardless of education they don't have the skills necessary - they aren't farmers.   This country needs to make some changes, become innovative, and find new economic drivers.  But that's another issue. 

Could the FDIC require Georgia borrowers to meet the 20% down in part because of the state ranking number ONE in the nation for bank failures?  That remains to be seen.  Stay tuned.

A  20% downpayment for  purchasers would no doubt compound housing issues in Georgia.  Selling a home will be significantly more difficult.  Currently homes remain on the market for extended periods.  Some years.  Very troubling, particularly with the prospect of so many vacant housing units likely to be coming available.

Home Prices Fall Again - We Need Another Disaster

The Huffington Post reported, home prices fell AGAIN in the first quarter of 2011, with the biggest drop since 2008.  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/09/home-prices-first-quarter-2011_n_859299.html

While that isn't a surprise for many home owners, it should be a wake up call for Georgia.  Both the House and Senate recently passed a new, anti immigration bill, HB87, which Governor Deal has said he will sign.  So now you're asking what falling home prices have to do with illegal immigrants.

Politicians are hoping to drive 425,000 undocumented immigrants, mostly those from South of the Border, out of Georgia because of complaints of "illegals" by their constituents.   Unfortunately their constituents can't tell the difference between an "illegal" immigrant and a born in the USA citizen.  Many, xenophobic residents, see "brown skin" and Hispanic surname and assume "illegal."  Then, they attach "criminal" to their set of labels as they judge others.  When I say, constituents it should be mentioned, that even law enforcement and the E-Verify system have trouble differentiating immigration status, and ICE is not infallible.  Rather than educate the public, that the population growth rates include many with Hispanic ancestry, many politicians are seizing the opportunity to capitalize on "Hispanic Hysteria" and turn it into a vote generating machine.  Is that creating a pandemic, pimping or pandering?  Hard to tell... call it what you will.

Back to why the two issues are connected:  Much of Georgia's housing was built with immigrant labor - undocumented labor that was lured here with (unfulfilled promises of gaining legal status) as well as construction jobs.  (Agriculture is a different story for another time.)  They SETTLED here, some bought homes while others rented; they became part of the community.  Home buyers benefited from the fruits of their labor, as did contractors, lumber & supply companies, real estate agents & brokers, mortgage lenders and the whole supply chain, including advertisers.  Those 425,000 people LIVE in dwellings that will become vacant if they leave the state.

"They" are often part of "mixed status" households; meaning some in the household are here legally.  One spouse may be an "authorized resident" (citizen by birth or naturalized OR legal resident alien,) while the other is undocumented.  Or maybe the Grandmother who babysits is the undocumented family member.  Whatever the household make up, it's estimated, that if Georgia is successful, some 100,000 residential properties could become vacant; most within a relatively short time frame. This will happen while we are in the midst of a foreclosure crisis which has already driven home values far below replacement costs.

MetroBrokers today says there are 110,000 active real estate listings in Georgia (remember all homes aren't listed - those still in the foreclosure process are part of the "unlisted" figures).  Now add 100,000 newly vacated properties that are likely to funnel into the foreclosure pipeline to the mix. 

Keep in mind, when 10% of a neighborhood becomes vacant the whole neighborhood is likely to become blighted.  Thieves arrive to "harvest" copper plumbing fixtures, HVAC units and anything else of value from the vacant properties.  The cost to rehab the home is more than the land value.  It's just about worthless.  Squatters and the homeless may take up residence.  More good residents will flee.  Neighborhoods begin to look like casualties of a war zone.

Government is funded by real estate property taxes.  As the value of homes fall; tax revenue collected falls.  Government no longer has adequate funds needed to maintain services such as fire, police, libraries etc.  Georgia currently has a AAA bond rating; but how long will that last with falling revenues?  There will be less sales tax collected as the population shifts or leaves.

It took Georgia some 100 years to recover following a devastating Civil War.  Then came the Civil Rights Era.  What has Georgia learned in the intervening years?   


The tornadoes which ripped through the Southeast recently left death, destruction and many homeless families in the wake.  We have another disaster in the making.  This one created by a law that drives residents from the state, separating families and vacating properties while devastating communities.  Yes, a natural disaster could save us by wrecking havoc, death and destruction while creating a need for housing. But is that something we really want to hope and pray for?

Are there other considerations?  Are real estate investors waiting for things to hit rock bottom so they can capitalize on the loss of others?  Will foreign investors sweep in and buy up homes and property after the economic devastation? 

It would be less painful - at least economically - for the majority of Georgians if Governor Deal vetoed HB87. Yes, some would have to become accustomed to "brown faces" and unfamiliar names, but the United States is a melting pot.  And Atlanta prides itself on being an international city.   

Let the Hispanic Hysteria subside.  No doubt a new target group will be found soon enough. 

Jose Gutierrez - Tazered into Coma

Jose Gutierrez 

Age 41, US resident since childhood 

Received Grave Injury at Arizona Border  

While Trying to Re-enter After Deportation

http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2011/04/jose_gutierrez_taser_coma_arizona_border_deported.php

There seem to be some contradictions in this story.  Jose Gutierrez's, wife, Shena Wilson, states he has lived in the USA since coming here as a child and never returned to Mexico.  But CBP states he was deported on a prior occasion so the deportation after his immigration hearing March 21, 2011 would be his second deportation.   

Apparently at some point, there may have been a DUI that did not involve injuries.  Many will see that as grounds for deportation as it may be viewed as a serious offense.  Yes, it is serious.  But also remember George W Bush was elected President of the United States with a DUI under his belt.  

Jose Gutierrez is a rather common name, could there have been an identity mix-up along the processing trail?  Yes. 

Do I condone illegal entry?  NO!  But then he wasn't sneaking across the desert or swimming the Rio Grande.  He was at a normal border crossing point which should have been staffed by an adequate number of agents to contain an unarmed man.   

Unfortunately there is no reasonable means for those brought here as children to resolve their undocumented status.  It is particularly unrealistic to expect them, to return to countries they do not know, where they have no support system.  For those born in Mexico, they must get documentation matters resolved in Juarez Mexico.  It's also known as the "Murder Capital" of the Americas.   

This article mentions how costly the process is but doesn't elaborate the details.  

• Even when married to US citizens it may require the undocumented spouse return to Mexico and remain there, away from spouse and children, for between 1 year and 10 years.  Then, there is no guarantee US residency will be approved. 
• It's often difficult for young families to afford one household in the US.  Now they need to pay for one in Mexico as well. 
• If working, the now one parent US household with children may have additional expenses for child care.   And reduced resources with the loss of spouse.
• Could the US spouse and children go to Mexico and live during that time?  Maybe, if they want to risk their children and themselves becoming potential kidnapping and/or murder victims.  
• Consider the practical matters, how will they support themselves during that time period?  And can they get the necessary documentation to do so?
• The left behind citizens are likely to be forced by economics on to Public Assistance programs.  Who does that help?  Certainly not taxpayers. 
• The process is likely to permanently break-up marriages, creating long term economic poverty for those who were once self sufficient households.  Resulting in those children growing up in poverty because of an unrealistic government policy. 
• Additionally they can expect legal fees, document fees and processing fees on both sides of the border.

Yes, some people are making money on this process so changing it will be difficult.

Do I understand why Jose Guitierrez would attempt to reenter when he has children here, and one of those children has been hospitalized?  Yes.  

In the United States divorced parents are often granted court ordered "parenting time" even when one parent has committed an egregious crime.  Courts recognize how important it is to growing children to know both parents.  Yet, we routinely deport parents - even married parents - separating their children from that same contact.

Some could consider the US a country with a bi-polar disorder! 
There is little doubt that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have stressful jobs.  Our immigration system is broken and they are in the position of enforcing laws that separate families in the course of their duties which also includes searching for contraband, such as drugs and guns.  Should an immigration violation or even a resisting arrest violation, with an unarmed subject, at a location with multiple agents present result in injuries like this?  Not normally.

Winners:  Righteous policy makers & bureaucrats
Losers:  Hospital System, Taxpayers, Jose Gutierrez, Shena Wilson, 2 small children (not in that order)

Death in Juarez

http://blogs.forbes.com/oshadavidson/2011/04/07/a-death-in-juarez-how-u-s-immigration-policy-is-tearing-american-families-apart/#post_comments

The $66 million fortress of a consulate is surrounded by a moat of heavily armed men, who guard it against an almost unimaginably brutal civil war raging just outside the golden zone. Ciudad Juárez, population 1.3 million, is sometimes called the “murder capital of the Americas”—a fitting description for a city that has seen roughly 7,000 killings in less than three years, including more than 3,100 last year.

Located just across the Rio Grande from El Paso, Texas, Juárez is ground zero in a bloody clash between the Mexican government and the drug cartels that feed Americans’ craving for cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. The “narco-war” includes turf battles between rival cartels. Since late 2006, when President Felipe Calderón launched a military offensive against the cartels, officials put the national death toll at more than 30,000.

Seem like the US should move the facility to the United States.  That would help our economy and allow for better protection of area residents, not to mention consulate workers while giving the US citizen families more peace of mind.

Immigration foes are working to tear the United States apart.  Some argue "states rights" and endorse succession from the United States. (That seems extremist in my book.)  In doing so they are fueling problems not only in the United States but in other countries as well.  It's unfortunate (to say the least) that so many people believe the false information that these groups spread.

Our lives are hectic today.  Many people are busy trying to raise families and make ends meet.  As a result they don't have the time or energy to think about issues they don't believe directly affect them.  But immigration impacts all of us.  Thinking people including religious leader, teachers and lawmakers need to look at this issue and THINK.

The conversation needs a new direction.   
For starters, the Visa processing center needs to be moved from Juarez to the United States, if not for everyone, definitely for those who are family of United States citizens.

In 2009, more than 94,000 Mexicans came to Juárez to apply for permanent resident status. Many, like Monica’s husband Alvaro, were undocumented and living gainfully in the United States. In past decades, applying would have been no big deal for such people. Thanks partly to a 1965 Great Society law that emphasized the need to keep families intact, applicants already living in the United States could petition for a change of status without having to leave.

Isn't it better to keep those dollars in the United States?  Isn't it better for the safety and peace of mind of Consulate workers?  Isn't it better for the citizen family members of applicants?   

  

3rd Graders Homework Assignment on Illegal Immigration

This news article from 11Alive (Atlanta GA)  left me nearly speechless.  No wonder there are so may problems with bullying and hate when children are given assignments and answer/choices such as these.

Maybe that's why so many parents home school.

One of the multiple choice questions on the assignment was question #6:

What does the U.S. do with illegal aliens?
A. The U.S. puts them to work in the army.
B. The U.S. shoots them into outer space.
C. The U.S. puts them to death.
D. The U.S. sends them back where they came from.

It would be understandable if students who listen to the news answered incorrectly.  It could be a difficult multiple choice elimination process.

A.  Those in the anti-immigration movement don't want "illegals" working, so that can't be right BUT military service was part of the failed DREAM Act.
B.  Two Georgia lawmakers, Yates and Murphy as well as Kansas Representative Peck have suggested shooting, BUT that was with guns, not shooting the immigrant into outer space.
C.  The lawmakers shooting suggestions didn't mention "shoot to wound" so presumably, it would be shoot to death. 
D.  Doesn't the US have "Due Process?" before making a determination and issuing punishment?

What were they thinking...

Oh, I know! They were teaching  DISRESPECT of other humans.  Why else would they teach children to label someone "illegal?"

Immigration News and How It Relates to Georgia

While watching a group of Georgia lawmakers in 2010, listening to testimony regarding immigration, I became extremely concerned. The aura reminded me of an era when the KKK was extremely active, when schools were segregated.  I didn't like the tone or direction; it was hate-filled.  Those who presented information contrary to the pre-drawn conclusion where discounted, sometimes with obvious disdain.  Their words were twisted and spun by elected officials; those who craft our laws.  It was apparent those responsible for making law, did NOT know the law or the issues.  Worse, they didn't want to.  Rhetoric Reigned!  It was NOT a fair or impartial hearing.   

I like most others hadn't been paying much attention for some years.  I had some "catching up" to do, and began reading materials from many sources and viewpoints.  (I don't believe everything I read in the papers or on the internet.)   That research was an eye-opener as the issue and driving forces are bigger than you might imagine.  As time allows, links will be posted here, with comments as to how some of it ties together.  Most will be shorter than this one.
 
White Supremacists March Against Illegal Immigration

This demonstration photo link is included because HATE groups are alive and active in the anti-immigration movement, not only in California but Georgia too.  Here is a link to the photos of the March captured by a California photographer and included on a "The Patch" in Glendora, CA news site.
"Skin heads & swastikas" tell a lot about those who support the movement. 

Anti-Immigration Movement is BIG Business for Private Prison Systems see the Business Week Article

Taxpayers are paying about $90 per day per prisoner 

in ICE contracted

facilities operated by CCA. 

Take a look at the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) map of facilities.  Then think about where anti-immigration legislation is heavily focused throughout the nation.  Yes, Georgia has these facilities and others coming. 

It isn't prudent to lock up people who have only committed minor crimes, like "Driving without a License" (they are "unlicense-able" because they are undocumented.) 

Many have committed no crime other than "being" here without papers.  Remember, those brought here as children, grow up, graduate high school and want to live the American Dream like everyone else.  Rather than passing the DREAM Act so they can join the military, college or community service - WE set them up for a free trip to prison.  

They don't view their land of birth as "home."  Their heart is in the United States.  Prisons teach inmates how to be better criminals.  There are better ways to handle this and more productive uses for taxpayer money.

Right now the average wait until the first immigration hearing is around 46 days so CCA has a great revenue stream since ICE (federal taxpayer dollars) pays $90 per day - per prisoner.  Yes, CCA has INCENTIVE to see that the anti-immigration movement is loud and strong.

CCA already has a strong presence in the State of Georgia, operating a total of five prisons and detention centers, employing approximately 1,500 corrections professionals with about $54 million annual payroll and paying nearly $8 million in property taxes and utilities annually. In addition to owning and operating the Wheeler Correctional Facility in Alamo and the Coffee Correctional Facility in Nicholls for Georgia,

CCA owns and operates the McRae Correctional Facility in McRae on behalf of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

For Immigration and Customs Enforcement, CCA owns and operates the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin and operates the North Georgia Detention Center in Gainesville. Collectively, CCA is responsible for more than 7,000 inmates and detainees in Georgia.

These are two known to be in the works:

• September 17, 2010 – Nashville, TN - CCA, the nation's leader in partnership corrections, has been awarded a contract by the Georgia Department of Corrections to manage up to 1,150 male inmates in the CCA Jenkins Correctional Center, which will be designed, constructed, owned and operated by CCA on property currently owned by the company in Millen, Ga.  in Jenkins County according to this press release.

• Even though Corrections Corporation of America doesn’t have a bid to build a prison in Bainbridge yet, a company official visiting here Wednesday said it’s a good bet that there will be one. Jay Hollis, project manager of site acquisition for Corrections Corporation of America said the company goes to great lengths to be pre-emptive and be more competitive. and a large one under-construction near Savannah.

CCA needs and wants to fill bed vacancies.  The following is from CCA's 2010 Third Quarter financial press release

As of October 31, 2010, we had approximately 11,000 unoccupied beds at facilities that had availability of 100 or more beds, and an additional 1,124 beds under development. This inventory of beds available is reduced to approximately 10,000 beds after taking into consideration the beds committed pursuant to management contracts.

Looks like federal and state governments need to step up efforts to fill these vacant CCA prison beds.  I say this "tongue in cheek/"

As DeWayne Wickham suggests, one motive of anti-immigration:

In states like Georgia, Tennessee and Texas, Republicans are pushing anti-immigration bills that critics believe are meant to curb the growing voting strength of Hispanics.

Britton Lofton of Politic365 writes:

What we are not seeing in regular media coverage is how crazy some states are running with immigration enforcement bills.  The effort can only be compared to the manner in which post-Civil War legislatures drafted bills to keep Blacks from gaining citizenship.  While the circumstances surrounding citizenship for undocumented immigrants and African Americans are like ‘night and day,’ a common thread exists with respect to legislative action to abridge citizenship rights.

Through Republican-led efforts, sixteen state legislatures are strongly considering similar legislation to Arizona’s SB 170, including California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oregon, South Carolina, Alabama, Texas, Utah, Virginia.

Such actions have shades of Post-Reconstruction America.

Insanity perks in capitols

Like Republican Virgil Peck of Kansas, TWO lawmakers from Georgia have also suggested shooting to kill at the border. State Rep John Yates (R-Griffin), who was reelected, first suggested shooting to kill at the border in October 2010. Here's some video of his comments. Then, in January 2011, Senator Jack Murphy, sponsor of SB40, another anti-immigration bill, made similar comments.

What ever happened to the presumption of innocents? Remember, "presumed innocent until proven guilty?" Inciting hateful sentiments that may urge others to action they believe "sanctioned" by lawmakers is irresponsible and ANTI-American.

Under our Constitution, all people – not just citizens – are entitled to a presumption of innocence, as guaranteed by the Fifth, Sixth, and Fourteenth amendments. Only a judge, not a journalist, politician, or even a police officer, can ascertain whether someone is in the country illegally.

Georgia Can Learn from Arizona Business Leaders

Georgia can learn from the mistakes made by Arizona.  With a year of controversy and experience under their belt, this week Arizona rejected five additional "illegal" immigration related bills.  Business leaders stood up and said, "No more!" with a letter to the Governor.
Here are links to two of the articles: 

• http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42141129/ns/us_news/  

• http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/2011/03/16/20110316wed1-16-new.html 

Georgia lawmakers proposed legislation with components similar to those REJECTED by Arizona this session.  While I have not read the Arizona bills, I am familiar with those in Georgia.

One of the (Arizona) rejected bills would have required hospitals to contact federal immigration officials or local law enforcement if people being treated lack insurance and can't demonstrate legal status.

Also defeated was a bill to require schools to file reports on enrollments of illegal immigrant students.

Georgia HB296, if passed would require hospitals determine who is "legal" vs "illegal" and document the numbers for the State of Georgia.  So far there is no mention of insured vs uninsured.  This same bill requires Georgia schools tabulate numbers of "illegal" students.  Logically in order to comply with the law if passed, both entities would need identifying records to support their data.   

The fifth bill was a sweeping measure sponsored by Pearce. It would have made it a crime for illegal immigrants to drive in Arizona. It also had provisions on registering vehicles, workplace hiring and various public benefits. It would ban illegal immigrants from attending Arizona's public universities and community colleges. The state does not now have a ban but it does require illegal immigrants to pay higher, non-resident tuition rates.

Georgia barred undocumented immigrants from obtaining driver's licenses several years ago.  Hence they are unable to register vehicles and obtain license plates/tags.  Until that point they could be tested for a driver's license, register vehicles and buy vehicle insurance.  People still drive, but thanks to that law change, promoted by the Dustin Inman Society, undocumented drivers are no longer tested or insured.  Now, if an accident occurs, the licensed driver's "uninsured motorist" coverage must be utilized. That change also generated an increase in arrests for Driving with No Valid License thereby taking valuable law enforcement, corrections and court time. 

Georgia barred undocumented students from five public universities and began charging out-of-state tuition at the remaining technical colleges, colleges and universities in 2010.  Georgia's HB59 seeks to bar them from ALL Georgia public colleges and universities, based in part on the theory that their presence MIGHT take the seat of a Georgia citizen.  As a result, a straight A undocumented student can not attend college but a C minus student can.  Yet those here on Student Visas can attend and pay out-of-state tuition, though their families do not pay taxes here as do undocumented students.  Additionally, out of state tuition pays MORE than the cost of  education hence it MAKES money for the state university system and thereby reduces costs to citizens/taxpayers.

Pearce's bill also would have required eviction of public housing tenants who let illegal immigrants live with them and make applicants for vehicle titles and registration prove they are in the country legally.

Georgia's HB87  would create a new law with multiple NEW CRIMINAL OFFENSES and penalties, eviction isn't one of them. 

• Even licensed drivers, could be arrested, jailed, fined AND have the vehicle seized for having an undocumented adult passenger in a vehicle under the "transporting" provision.  As a result a "mixed status family" would lose their vehicle.  Mom could be arrested, jailed and fined for driving Dad to the store.  ICE could be contacted and Dad sent to federal detention.  One can assume that unless there is a documented family member who could immediately pick up the children, that they would be sent to foster care.    
• Under the "Sheltering" section providing housing to an undocumented person would be a crime, even for married mixed status couples.  So, a husband or wife can be arrested, jailed and fined for providing "shelter" and food to their undocumented spouse - the parent of their children.  Same applies to roommate situations.  If this becomes law it might be hard to find apartment property managers and leasing agents as it could land them in prison. 

Maybe eviction wasn't included as Georgia  lawmakers prefer costly corrections systems remedies.  Georgia has by far the highest number of people under the jurisdiction of the corrections system:  1 in 13  is either an inmate in jail or prison or on parole or probation. Nationwide the figure is 1 in 31 according to the Pew Center.  (See page 7 for a US map of rates in each state)

The Corrections Corporation of American has multiple private prisons in Georgia.  It's big business.  

Majority (Arizona) Republicans were split in their votes on the defeated bills, which included two measures intended to force a U.S. Supreme Court ruling against automatic citizenship for U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants. 

The good news is Georgia has yet to introduce bills regarding citizenship for those born here to undocumented parents; the bad news is - it's being discussed.  

  

 

Georgia's Anti-Immigration Pending Legislation

If Georgia citizens realized what these anti-immigration bills will do if enacted THEY would run for the border and escape Georgia.  The legislation won't accomplish what the public wants but unfortunately it will cost taxpayers and business dearly.   

Arizona business leaders are distressed over the situation created by that states anti-immigration legislation.  Sixty of Arizona's big company leaders sent a letter to Arizona this week.   There is a link to the letter in the Arizona Republic News.

Police resources are already stretched thin.  These "new crimes" will distract police focus away from  higher/serious offenders (Level I & II) in the community and put the focus on immigrants who may have been riding a bicycle or fishing without a license.

Additionally some of the legislation will further burden the child welfare system when one parent is jailed for one of these "new crimes" and the other is sent to ICE detention.

Some Georgia jurisdictions already participate in the 287g program which has also experienced controversy.   

House Bill 59 - Would bar undocumented aka unauthorized immigrants from attending Georgia public universities and technical colleges even if they pay higher out-of-state tuition (as the current law allows).  Those paying out of state tuition actual pay more than the costs of the universities, so undocumented students are funding the education of citizens.  One argument given by bill supporters is the undocumented take seats from citizens.  Those here on Student Visas can attend those same schools. Their families do NOT live here or contribute to the tax base,  while undocumented people/families DO pay Georgia taxes. 

House Bill 87 - (Georgia's answer to Arizona's SB1070) Multiple components: Mandates E-Verify; ID Theft, with stiff penalties for using giving an invented name and/or for making up a 9 digit Social Security number;  Licensed drivers, authorized residents can be arrested, jailed, fined AND have the vehicle seized for having an undocumented adult passengers in a vehicle under the "transporting" provision;  "Sheltering" - A husband or wife can be arrested, jailed and fined for providing "shelter" and food to their undocumented spouse - the parent of their children.  Same applies to roommate situations.  

House Bill 296: If passed, would mandate local school and hospitals to count the illegal immigrants they treat.  In order to get an accurate count they would have to ask ALL patients for that information.  This would be burden on schools AND medical providers as well as PATIENTS.  AND likely necessitate costly changes to records systems & databases. 

Senate Bill 7: If passed, would ban undocumented workers from collecting workers’ compensation benefits for on-the-job injuries.  This is particularly troublesome as those injuries now covered by workers comp would still need to be treated.  Again burdening healthcare providers.  Undocumented workers frequently work positions authorize residents don't want.  As a result some are at risk from falls, wounds and exposure to chemicals such as insectides and weedkillers.

Senate Bill 27: Toughens current laws to prevent state agencies and counties from hiring undocumented workers for taxpayer-funded projects.

Senate Bill 65: Would prohibit undocumented immigrants from collecting unemployment benefits.  This isn't needed as undocumented people are already prohibited from collecting unemployment benefits. 

Senate Bill 104:  Has components similar to HB 87 and SB 40.   Punishes drivers who pick up day laborers in certain situations.  Would allow warrantless arrests of those who police have probable cause to believe have committed 'any public offenses' that make them eligible for deportation.  

Senate Bill 174: Would require all jails in Georgia to participate in Secure Communities. The program compares the fingerprints of people booked into jails against a federal database, and if an unlawful immigrant is determined,  ICE is notified and may place a detainer on the party.  See "Secure Communities" info at ICE.

Georgia Legislation will Cause Foreclosures to Rise

Driving Residents from Georgia
with HB87 Like Legislation

Will Create Vacant Residential Dwelling Units

 Fewer Residents/Fewer Households=

Less Housing Demand = 

Lower Real Estate Values =

Less Tax Revenue to Fund Government

Driving residents from Georgia will fuel the foreclosure cycle with vacant properties that can NOT be filled due to a shrinking population.  

ALL Georgia property owners will be affected. 

_________________________

Understand, I do NOT condone illegal immigration.  

I do understand the issues from multiple perspectives.  HB87 is bad for the economy, tourism, business, housing and law enforcement to name a few.
   

The one "positive" feature is it will create many jobs in the legal profession.  Those jobs might include defending the legislation, representing immigrant clients, their children, and processing foreclosure documents to name a few.   Katie Dempsey's husband is with Dempsey Auctions, which conducts real estate auctions, including foreclosures.  Note that four of the five sponsors are attorneys.  It is interesting that this bill creates jobs in fields for many of their associates.   
  

Sponsor of HB87 & co-sponsors

• Matt Ramsey (attorney) - R - Peachtree City Dist 72 - Reps part of Fayette County
• Rich Golick (attorney) - R - Smyrna - District 34 -Reps part of Cobb County  
• Katie Dempsey (volunteer) - R - Rome  - District 13 - Reps part of Floyd County
• Rick Austin (attorney) - R - Demorest - Dist 10 - Reps Habersham & part of White County
• Stephen Allison (attorney) -  R - Blairsville - Dist 8 - Reps. Rabun, Towns, Union & part of White County

Representative Matt Ramsey represents an area with LOWER foreclosures rates than some other areas of the state.  Most metro Atlanta counties have significantly HIGHER foreclosure statistics.  You can review the Georgia data at RealtyTrac  or as a spreadsheet summary here:

• The Pew Hispanic Center estimates there are approximately 425,000 undocumented adults and children in Georgia.

• The number of households they represent will have a direct impact on the number of foreclosures Georgia is likely to generate with anti-immigrant legislation.  Increased foreclosure activity will cause property values to fall thereby affecting real estate property tax collections.  Meaning LESS money to fund government.

• The average number of occupants in a Georgia immigrant household in 2009, was 3.69 for homeowners and 3.62 for renters.

• Georgia immigrant households - 44% are home owners.   

The influx in of undocumented residents began when fears arose, in the early 1990s, that Georgia could not complete construction preparations for the 1996 Olympics.  Undocumented labor was "recruited" to help as one writer described it, "with a wink and a nod" from multiple government agencies, including Immigration & Naturalization Service (INS)/Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE.)
 

Those construction workers often brought their young families.  Contractors found the work ethic and skills of this new work force admirable and utilized them to build during the housing boom.  Contractors, construction suppliers, title companies, lenders, real estate brokers and agents, government are just a few of those that benefited.  Obviously so did the families that were able to purchase affordable homes.

Those undocumented families rented or bought apartments and homes and settled here.  Others arrived.   The economy grew and was built with their presence and spending.  Their small undocumented children grew up, attended school, graduated high school all knowing Georgia as "home."

Mixed Status Families/Households

Those once small children have grown up and married;  some have married citizens or other "authorized residents."  They speak English as well as you, your friends or your neighbors.  Those couples have started families of their own, yet ONE parent is undocumented - unauthorized.   

 

When a household contains both "undocumented" aka "un-authorized" and "authorized" family members it is called "mixed-status."  (Most people do not understand there is no reasonable path to "get legal" for those brought here illegally as children because the immigration system is broken.)   That is a topic for another post.  This one is about how HB87 will affect FORECLOSURES.

Bills like HB87, if enacted, are DESIGNED to drive undocumented people from the state.  However, it will drive out NOT only households of "all" undocumented people but "mixed status" families AND citizen households as well.  The state population will shrink beyond expectations.   

FORECLOSURES:  Georgia1 is currently #8 in the nation for foreclosures;   (Arizona's2 is #2) You can see on this RealtyTrac map where Georgia foreclosures are concentrated.

• There may be only  ONE  undocumented person in a household, but the WHOLE household is likely to leave if HB87 is enacted.  Georgia could lose 3 to 5 legal residents for each undocumented person in mixed status households.   Some will be business owners & employers.

• As dwellings are vacated the current housing glut will expand as multiple dwelling units flood the market, in a relatively short time frame.  It will be HARDER, if not near impossible to rent a home/apartment for enough to cover the mortgage. Georgia will no longer have the population to fill available housing units. 

• Homes will sit vacant deteriorating in neighborhoods until the population increases and jobs are available so people can rent or purchase these units.  Will squatters make them "home?"

• Properties rented at greatly reduced rates will not have the profit margin to be properly maintained, likely bringing down the whole neighborhood.

• According to the US Census Bureau Vacancy Rates in the "South Region" of the United States exceed those of other areas. 

Imagine what will happen if 100,000 additional residential dwelling units are vacated in a short time and  remain vacant, deteriorating in neighborhoods.

If more is owed on a property than the mortgage balance, a property is considered "under water."  Selling a house for less than is owed may subject the owner to the debt balance, can you afford that loss?  

• How long will it take on the market if you NEED to sell your home or the home of a one of a loved one?  
• How long can you afford to make mortgage payments on a vacant property? 
• Will you be able to sell your home for a job transfer or promotion?  Not likely.
• Will you be able to sell your home to move to a better school district?  Not likely
• If your parents or grandparents pass away and their real estate assets need to be sold, how long will it take?  Years?  
• Will you be able to rent it?
• Whether you rent or own, ask yourself: How will your neighborhood change?  

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-02-24/foreclosure-homes-sold-at-28-discount-last-year-as-supply-grew.html