A guest worker program for Georgia? Is 0bama allowing Ga to pass it's own guest worker program?

[deangelo51]

Georgia Agricultural Commissioner Gary Black is preparing to release the results of a long-awaited report about whether the state can legally create its own guest worker-program.

Black is expected to release the report at a 2 p.m. news conference Tuesday at the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s headquarters office in downtown Atlanta. His report could help set the tone of the debate over illegal immigration in the upcoming state legislative session.

Last year, Black said his department would consult with officials in Utah, which has enacted a law to allow illegal immigrants to get permits to work there. There is sharp disagreement, however, over whether states can do that. Critics say only the federal government has that power.

Georgia’s new immigration enforcement law -- House Bill 87 -- called for Black to conduct his study. HB 87 also required Black's department to study immigration's impact on the state's agricultural industry and "the need for reform" of the federal H-2A guest-worker program.

After Gov. Nathan Deal signed HB 87 into law in May, the state’s $68.8 billion farming industry – Georgia’s largest industry – started complaining the law was scaring off the migrant Hispanic workers it depends on. In a report issued in October, the industry said labor shortages contributed to $74.9 million in estimated losses in seven fruit and vegetable crops last year.

Under HB 87, Black’s report was due to Deal and state lawmakers Sunday.

http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-politics-elections/a-guest-worker-program-1286053.html
Will Mexico sue Ga to ensure there is a guest worker program ?

[chatima]

It would be up to the courts not Obama. It sounds like a good idea. So long as the anti-business anti-immigrants don't try strangle capitalism. Anti-immigrants want to dictate to business owners who to hire and for how much, instead of the free market

Immigrants are providing affordable labor at wages this economic can afford

[hob97]

WE DO NOT NEED GUEST WORKERS. All the 'guest workers' and 'migrant immigrants' are doing are devaluing our wages. Local Georgians WORKED THE FIELDS for years, until the migrants came in for cheaper wages. And as soon as the fields got to 'much', these 'guest workers' wound up working in the carpet mills sending many citizens OUT OF A JOB.

[hurst]

I agree that feeding, clothing, educating, and paying the medical expenses of the stupid children of illegals is NOT an inexpensive solution to labor that lacks any skill.

[darvell]

illegals are NOT providing affordable labour at wages this economic can afford. They are cutting wages, working for cash, not paying taxes, using fake or stolen documents is something someone whose id an illegal is using,cannot afford the legal expenses it takes to clear their up their personal information, because illegals are selling the good number to others across the country. Illegals do not have any medical insurance, therefore the taxpayers are forced to pay for this so called cheap labour. We have millions of illegals driving without licenses and insurance and they have absolutely no financial responsibility , if they cause an accident, and it's their fault, your affordable labour does not pay for any damages. Document fraud alone is costing this country billions. Illegals can return to Mexico. America cannot take in every illegal who makes it here and is thinking because they made past border agents, they should be rewarded with citizenship, jobs, dream act, free medical, free school lunches for kids , free school supplies, free clothes,shoes, dental and vision care, makes your cheap labour ends up costing more than what the workers actual contribution would be