Immigration Politics: Georgia Democrats, Republicans split on approaches to illegal immigration

A look at a basic conflict in the state politics of immigration in Georgia. It is similar to the politics in California and other states that have a large economy of agricultural business. Economic and, therefore, politcal forces conflict with ant-immigration "madness."

Democrats, Republicans split on approaches to illegal immigration | ajc.com: "Democratic and Republican state lawmakers staked out different positions in the debate over illegal immigration Thursday, as a special committee studying ways to crack down on the problem met for the third and perhaps final time before the Legislature convenes.

Minutes before the all-Republican committee met, a pair of Democratic state lawmakers held a news conference warning against any legislation that would scare immigrants away from Georgia and hurt the state’s economy. Georgia’s $65 billion agricultural industry, they said, relies heavily on immigrant workers.
“We need policies that grow our economy, that create jobs and that move us back on the road to a prosperous Georgia,” said Sen. Nan Orrock, D-Atlanta, who appeared alongside Rep. Virgil Fludd, D-Tyrone. “Ill-conceived anti-immigrant legislation won’t do that.” 

Last week, the Georgia Farm Bureau -- which represents nearly 400,000 families -- weighed in on illegal immigration, saying “it is a federal issue, not a state or local issue.” Meeting at their annual convention on Jekyll Island, delegates to the bureau adopted a policy that says the organization opposes “any immigration law that discriminates against the farm worker and puts the farmers of Georgia at a disadvantage to farmers in other states.”" Dec. 16, 2010, Atlanta Journal-Constitution