Saturday, April 16, 2011

Georgia governor to sign law targeting illegal immigration


Gov. Nathan Deal of Georgia plans to sign into law what may be one of the nation's toughest anti-illegal immigration measures, his spokesman, Brian Robinson, said Friday.


Unmoved by threats of boycotts and lawsuits, the Republican-dominated Georgia Legislature passed the tough law Thursday night, during the final hours of this year's legislative session. Robinson did not say when the governor would sign the measure.


"The bill reflects well the priorities and principles on which the governor campaigned ... last year," he said. "We believe that it reinforces the law in Georgia."


Among other things, the bill allows law enforcement officers to ask about immigration status when questioning suspects in certain criminal investigations. It punishes people who transport illegal immigrants during the commission of a crime and imposes hefty prison sentences on those who use fake documents to get jobs.


After the vote, the bill's author, Republican state Rep. Matt Ramsey, declared, "We have done the job that we were sent to do." Ramsey said the bill addresses issues forced on the states because of the federal government's decades-long failure to secure the nation's borders.


What do you think aboiut this bill? It sounds like the states are starting to do what the national government has failed to do. What do you think about this?

18 comments:

  1. I think this a good bill to pass. Illegal immigration is a problem, that is not currently being dealt with. I think this bill would help punish those who choose to come into the United States illegally and maybe would scare more immigrants from coming into the United States illegally. The illegal immigrants along the border have cause drugs and people to be smuggled in. This bill could possibly put a dent in the many illegal immigrants. I think they should face some sort of punishment, they shouldn't just get to work here with fake documents.

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  2. I think it's a good bill, because people need to realize that their are consequences to their actions. A slap on the wrist isn't much, and I'm sure they would feel the same way about it if the illegal immigrants were taking their jobs with fake names or even stealing their information and useing their names. I agree with the bill.

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  3. I think the national government should have passed a similar laws before. The states should not have to protect themselves, that is why the national government exists.

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  4. I agree with this bill. It would be a great law for all the states to pass. With this bill in effect it reduces the jobs that illegal immigrants can hold and americans can then hold those jobs and it would reduce the unemployment in the nation.

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  5. i agree. send those mexicans that are illegal back. if they hop the border one way make them hop back. it doesn't do any good for our economy to have these illegals working for cash.

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  6. I dont think that it is the states job to do what the federal government can not handle. I think that every state needs to pass a similar bill. There is a lot of illegal immigration, and the federal government is the one that loses out because these illegal immigrants do not report or file taxes.

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  7. I think it is a good bill to pass. If the police have a criminal they should have the right to ask them if they are illegal immigrants or not. I don't think they should just out of random because they could just get bad and some people may think it is out of racism. But if they have good reasoning they should be able to.

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  8. First off, I think it's dumb that the national government can't manage to protect the states, but it's good that the states are finally taking action themselves. I think this bill is good to pass and hopefully it will help with our problem of illegal immigration. I definitely think it's a good right for police to have if they have reasonable evidence, but not okay for them to question on the streets so that's good. But hopefully this law can encourage other states to take their action and do what they think should be done to protect them. Look at all the people that get killed at the boarders each year because of the situations happening like smuggling people or drugs. It's a sad deal that needs to be dealt with whether it's on a federal or state level.

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  9. I think this is good because illegal immigrants won't be able to stay in our country for a long time. If the illegal immigrants are gone, than us citizens get our jobs back.

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  10. This bill should be passed. If it's a way for the law enforcement to control this border issue, then why not. we don't need illegal immigrants coming into our country, us having to pay for them with our tax money, and with our econonmy the way it is, it's making it even worse with illegal immigrants. i definitely agree with this bill. If people that are foreign want to live here, fine, but do it the legal way!

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  11. I like this bill it should have been like this many years ago. Illegal immigration is illegal they should make themselves legal and then come here i dont have anything against them but anything that is illegal should be punishable.

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  12. i think this bill would be a good thing to pass because these illegal immigrants need realize that their are consequences to their actions of coming over illegally.

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  13. i think this bill should be passed because i agree but what i think is gonna stay in my mind for now

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  14. I think this is a good bill to pass because it seems like more and more people are entering the united states illegaly or smuggling people in. So if this bill helps cut back on that then that is a good thing and lets hope it helps.

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  15. i also agree that this is a good idea i mean if they where up here taking our jobs im sure it would upset people here so why not support them for trying to stop just that down there

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  16. I believe that that this bill is good. It is time for the illegal people in this country to get punished for their actions. They cant be mooching off of us any longer.

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  17. I think it is about time someone does this. this is sweet. I totally agree i don't know other states don't do this. This has got out of control i think they should close the borders and secure the area a lot more.

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