Immigration Commission To Meet In Huntsville ::

A meeting of The Joint Interim Patriotic Immigration Commission will meet at 6pm Thursday in the Beck Room of the Huntsville Museum of Art seeking input from the local public.I'm going to try to make this meeting if my schedule will allow it! I'm really curious to hear what the north Alabama public has to say about our current immigration policy (or lack of).

I have yet to hear any rational policy other than some sort of amnesty and logical path to at least guest worker permits. Some big businesses in this area, not to mention the construction industry, rely on immigrant labor and I really hope to hear what their solution to the immigration problem may be! Here are the members of the commission:

Gov. Bob Riley’s appointees:

Jay Reed (chairman), Birmingham, vice president, Associated Builders & Contractors, Inc.

Bill Cotter, Enterprise, contractor.

Patricia DeVane, Dothan, native of Guatemala who became a naturalized U.S. citizen.

Jed Downs, Dothan, construction.

Ronnie Mobley, Delmar, cattle rancher.

Ricky Walker, Holly Pond, head of Tyson Foods Inc. in Alabama.

Elois Zeanah, Tuscaloosa, Republican activist.

Lt. Gov. James Folsom’s appointees:

Sen. Scott Beason, R-Gardendale.

Sen. Roger Bedford, D-Russellville.

Sen. Hinton Mitchem, D-Union Grove.

Chris Issacson, executive president, Alabama Forestry Association.

Wendy Padilla Madden, Hoover, immigration attorney.

Dennis Maze, Cullman, poultry producer.

Jacquealine Myers, professor, Alabama State University.

House Speaker Seth Hammett’s appointees:

Rep. Micky Hammon, R-Decatur.

Rep. Randy Hinshaw, D-Merdianville.

Rep. Rod Scott, D-Fairfield.

Boyd Campbell, Montgomery, general counsel, Alabama Center for Foreign Investment.

Elia Ordonez, Huntsville, Hispanic Programs Officer in Marshall Space Flight Center’s Equal Opportunity Office.

Oliver Washington III, Theodore, greenhouse operator.

Ricky Wiggins, Andalusia, turf farmer.

Just looking over the commission members there seems to be representation of industries which are most dependent on immigrant labor. This should be interesting!