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Press Release

LULAC President Condemns Latest Anti-Immigrant Onslaught in Georgia.
Georgia Towns Left Abandoned After Comments Made by GA Governor

September 19, 2006

Contact: Javier Dominguez
(202) 833-6130

Washington, DC – The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is saddened and outraged by the escalating immigration raids that have left towns in Georgia homogenized and abandoned after federal agents began rounding up undocumented workers the past several weeks.   

News accounts have estimated that over 120 undocumented workers have been arrested and taken into custody while more Latinos are being targeted around Forsyth County. In Stillmore alone, a town of over 1000 people, homes have been left abandoned, streets emptied, and stores closed, as raids and arrests have left Latino immigrants and citizens frightened and families separated.   

The Georgia raids come as a result of critical comments made by Gov. Sonny Perdue when he irrationally accused all illegal immigrants as “heading to the welfare office on Monday and casting a vote on Tuesday,” as well as proceeding to defend the Georgia SecureID cards by evoking fear in his linking of undocumented workers to terrorists.  "Fraudulent IDs are a serious threat to homeland security. At least seven of the 9/11 highjackers obtained genuine Virginia identity documents through fraud." 

LULAC National President Rosa Rosales has sent a letter to the Governor’s office expressing LULAC’s displeasure and disappointment, as well as requesting an apology to the Georgian Latino community.   

“Governor Perdue’s shameful comparisons to the attacks of 9/11 with the Georgia Latino immigrant community are completely appalling and unacceptable,” said Rosa Rosales.  “Immigrant bashing should not be used to divide communities or used as a political tool to win over the electorate.  We can clearly see the effects of what deporting illegal immigrants would look like, as is the case in Stillmore.  We ask that the Governor retract his comments immediately.”

The League of United Latin American Citizen (LULAC) is the oldest and largest Latino membership based civil rights organization in the United States. It advances the economic conditions, educational attainment, political influence, health and civil rights of Hispanic Americans through community-based programs operating at more than 700 LULAC councils nationwide.

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