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New Ga. bill targets illegal immigrants and government officials who hire them
.By Jeremy Redmon
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A group of Republican state lawmakers filed tough Arizona-style legislation this week that would severely punish government officials who hire illegal immigrants and penalize noncitizens who fail to carry certain identification papers.
State Sen. Jack Murphy of Cumming, Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers of Woodstock and several other Republican senators are sponsoring Senate Bill 40.
The eight-page bill mirrors some parts of Arizona’s aggressive new law as well as legislation Republican lawmakers filed in Georgia’s House last week. Like Georgia’s House Bill 87, Murphy’s <span style="font-weight: bold">bill would require state and local law enforcement officers to investigate the immigration status of certain people they reasonably suspect of being in the country illegally. It also would authorize police to arrest them if they are in the country illegally and transport them to a federal jail.</span>
Critics say those provisions are unconstitutional. The Obama administration sued last year to stop similar provisions in Arizona’s law from taking effect, arguing they are pre-empted by federal law. A federal judge ruled in favor of the White House last year, halting those provisions as well as several others. Arizona is appealing the judge’s decision.
Murphy said he likes his bill's chances in court.
"I think this legislation will stand up to any challenges that might be presented if we are challenged in federal court," he said during a news conference Thursday at the state Capitol.
Murphy said his bill is meant to stop illegal immigrants from sapping taxpayer-funded resources, including public schools. Critics of such legislation say illegal immigrants pay substantial taxes here and contribute their labor to the nation's economy.
"Our system in Georgia is for our citizens and legal residents of this state," Murphy said. "Are they receiving the benefits they are entitled to before illegal aliens get benefits?"
Murphy held his news conference a day after Mexican Ambassador to the United States Arturo Sarukhan condemned some of the other immigration-related bills pending in the state Legislature, saying they are "poisoning" the relationship between the two countries.
Murphy’s bill would also:
<span style="font-weight: bold">Require certain private employers to start using a federal program called E-Verify after July 1, 2012.</span> The program seeks to verify that newly hired employees are eligible to work in the United States. A coalition of businesses and immigrant rights groups is suing to stop a similar law in Arizona that requires all businesses to use E-Verify, arguing it is unconstitutional.
Punish government officials who fail to comply with requirements for the use of E-Verify. Violators could face removal from office and fines up to $10,000.
Penalize government contractors and subcontractors who submit false affidavits in attempts to comply with the E-Verify requirements. They could be blocked from getting public contracts for a year and face a $1,000 fine for each day they violate the law.
Punish certain noncitizens who don’t carry a form of government identification called a “certificate of registration.” Violators could be charged with a misdemeanor and face a fine of up to $100 and 30 days in jail.
This provision mirrors federal law. A federal judge, however, sided with the Obama administration last year and halted a similar requirement in Arizona’s law. U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton ruled last year that Arizona’s law is "an impermissible attempt by Arizona to regulate alien registration.”
Murphy said he has not estimated the costs of his legislation, including the expenses associated with additional police enforcement.
"I don't know how you can compare costs when you are talking about the costs of illegal aliens in this state," he said.
Nine other states -- Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas and Wyoming -- are considering similar Arizona-style legislation, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures' Immigration Policy Project.
.By Jeremy Redmon
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A group of Republican state lawmakers filed tough Arizona-style legislation this week that would severely punish government officials who hire illegal immigrants and penalize noncitizens who fail to carry certain identification papers.
State Sen. Jack Murphy of Cumming, Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers of Woodstock and several other Republican senators are sponsoring Senate Bill 40.
The eight-page bill mirrors some parts of Arizona’s aggressive new law as well as legislation Republican lawmakers filed in Georgia’s House last week. Like Georgia’s House Bill 87, Murphy’s <span style="font-weight: bold">bill would require state and local law enforcement officers to investigate the immigration status of certain people they reasonably suspect of being in the country illegally. It also would authorize police to arrest them if they are in the country illegally and transport them to a federal jail.</span>
Critics say those provisions are unconstitutional. The Obama administration sued last year to stop similar provisions in Arizona’s law from taking effect, arguing they are pre-empted by federal law. A federal judge ruled in favor of the White House last year, halting those provisions as well as several others. Arizona is appealing the judge’s decision.
Murphy said he likes his bill's chances in court.
"I think this legislation will stand up to any challenges that might be presented if we are challenged in federal court," he said during a news conference Thursday at the state Capitol.
Murphy said his bill is meant to stop illegal immigrants from sapping taxpayer-funded resources, including public schools. Critics of such legislation say illegal immigrants pay substantial taxes here and contribute their labor to the nation's economy.
"Our system in Georgia is for our citizens and legal residents of this state," Murphy said. "Are they receiving the benefits they are entitled to before illegal aliens get benefits?"
Murphy held his news conference a day after Mexican Ambassador to the United States Arturo Sarukhan condemned some of the other immigration-related bills pending in the state Legislature, saying they are "poisoning" the relationship between the two countries.
Murphy’s bill would also:
<span style="font-weight: bold">Require certain private employers to start using a federal program called E-Verify after July 1, 2012.</span> The program seeks to verify that newly hired employees are eligible to work in the United States. A coalition of businesses and immigrant rights groups is suing to stop a similar law in Arizona that requires all businesses to use E-Verify, arguing it is unconstitutional.
Punish government officials who fail to comply with requirements for the use of E-Verify. Violators could face removal from office and fines up to $10,000.
Penalize government contractors and subcontractors who submit false affidavits in attempts to comply with the E-Verify requirements. They could be blocked from getting public contracts for a year and face a $1,000 fine for each day they violate the law.
Punish certain noncitizens who don’t carry a form of government identification called a “certificate of registration.” Violators could be charged with a misdemeanor and face a fine of up to $100 and 30 days in jail.
This provision mirrors federal law. A federal judge, however, sided with the Obama administration last year and halted a similar requirement in Arizona’s law. U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton ruled last year that Arizona’s law is "an impermissible attempt by Arizona to regulate alien registration.”
Murphy said he has not estimated the costs of his legislation, including the expenses associated with additional police enforcement.
"I don't know how you can compare costs when you are talking about the costs of illegal aliens in this state," he said.
Nine other states -- Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas and Wyoming -- are considering similar Arizona-style legislation, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures' Immigration Policy Project.