According to an ARC report, Gwinnett’s annual population growth took a nosedive in 2008, slowing to just 4,500 new folks a year from April 2008 to April 2009; about a fourth of the number of new inhabitants in previous years. It is reasonable to ask whether or not the drop is directly tied to a concurrent decrease in the number of illegal aliens coming into the country and a significant number of aliens going home.

Gwinnett had been adding an average of 18,800 people each year this decade but that dropped to 4,500 during the period in question [4/1/08 to 4/1/09], according to an Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) report.

These facts tend to support my contention that the County Commission should adopt a new approach to illegal immigration enforcement, especially in light of the fact that the newly-revised 287(g) agreement will severely limit Gwinnett’s ability to identify and deport illegal aliens charged with non-violent crimes.

That new approach would include a greater emphasis on enforcement via ordinances targeting businesses that employ illegal aliens; stricter enforcement of property maintenance and other “quality of life” ordinances; and a de-emphasis of 287(g) as the county’s primary enforcement tool.

There is progress. The county announced today that it will require its 26,000 business license holders to certify that the applicant is eligible before renewing for 2010.

This seems to be an effort to eliminate a loophole that I exposed in October 2008 when the county belatedly began to enforce the Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act regarding eligibility for “public benefits,” of which a business license is one.

Gwinnett population growth slows dramatically | AccessNorthGa

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