State panel to hold public meeting on immigration

ATLANTA - The Georgia Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights will hold a public meeting in two weeks to examine the issue of immigration. Among the scheduled speakers is Mike Giles of the Gainesville-based Georgia Poultry Federation.

Last month, several Democratic and Republican senators pledged to propel far-reaching immigration legislation through the Senate by summer providing a possible path to citizenship for an estimated 11 million people now in the U.S. illegally." (See earlier story. Link below.)


The purpose of the meeting, which will be open to the public, is to examine immigration laws and their enforcement in Georgia in order to learn about effective implementation of immigration policy.

The Committee expects to hear from elected officials, business leaders, government officials and community organizations.


Groups and individuals Invited to participate as speakers include:

U.S. Department of Justice
Chief of Police, City of Doraville
Georgia Restaurant Association
Georgia Poultry Association
Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
U.S. Immigration Services
Atlanta Catholic Diocese
the Southeast Georgia Communities Project
the Asian American Legal Advocacy Center
the Latin American Association
the Refugee Family Service Center
and the Hispanic Organization Promoting Education.
In addition to scheduled speakers, member of the general public and others who are present will be allowed to offer comment.


AGENDA


Tuesday, Feb. 19

Gwinnett Center

6400 SUGARLOAF PARKWAY

Duluth, Ga.


AFTERNOON SESSION

2:30 pm - 4:30 pm



PANEL 1-- 2:30 - 3:20


Karen Bremer, Georgia Restaurant Association

Mike Giles, Georgia Poultry Association

Charles Hall, Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association

Terrie Dandy, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission


PANEL 2 - 3:30 - 4:20


Suzanne V. Buchanan, Community Relations Service, U.S. Department of Justice

Chief John King, Chief of Police, City of Doraville

Representative from Gwinnett Sheriff Department - representative to be determined

Representative from U.S. Immigration Services- representative to be determined


RECESS


EVENING TOWN HALL SESSION

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm


(1) 6:00 - 6:20 Andrea Hinojosa, Southeast Georgia Communities Project


(2) 6:20 - 6:40 Helen Kim Ho, Asian American Legal Advocacy Center


(3) 6:40 - 7:00 TBD, Latin American Association


(4) 7:00 - 7:20 David Arraya, Hispanic Organization Promoting Education


(5) 7:20 - 7:40 Emily Pelton, Refugee Family Service Center


(6) 7:40 - 8:00 Francis J. Mulcahy, Catholic Conference


(*) 6:00 - 8:00 Allowance for individuals to make recorded statements for inclusion

in the public record


ADJOURN

Link: U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Regional Offices
Link: U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
Link: Obama on immigration overhaul: 'Now is the time'