Advocates for immigrant rights across the state are organizing a third day of action in response to Governor Brian Kemp signing a new law requiring law enforcement to check inmates’ citizenship status.
House Bill 1105 requires law enforcement to enter what ‘s called a 287(g) agreement with U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. Under the new law which Gov. Brian Kemp signed, officers who don’t check immigration status could face misdemeanor charges and uncooperative cities could lose state funding.
Georgia immigrants’ rights organizations are wrapping up three days of action, the first of which took place at Legacy Park near the Georgia Capitol.
A group of about 70 people gathered to speak against the HB 1105 and urge Gov. Kemp not to sign it.
Meanwhile, Kemp went to the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth to sign a group of nine bills relating to law enforcement. He said HB 1105 will make Georgia stronger.
“This bill, the Georgia Criminal Alien Track and Report Act, became one of our top priorities, as the speaker mentioned, following the senseless death of Laken Riley at the hands of someone in this country illegally who had already been arrested,” he said.
Jose Ibarra, a citizen of Venezuela, was arrested in connection with the murder of Laken Riley in March.
Research from Stanford University shows that overall, immigrants are 60% less likely to be incarcerated than people born in the U.S.
Eduardo Delgado works with the nonprofit Migrant Equity Southeast. He said during the rally near the state capitol Wednesday that this bill is retaliatory and discriminatory.
“This kind of entrapment is made to cause panic throughout immigrant households,” Delgado said. “Because of that, advocates like ourselves must change the narrative and rally our communities behind opposing this bill for what it is: xenophobic, radical legislation.”
Advocates with the Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights also led a march to the Governor’s mansion on Tuesday. GLAHR Political Associate Jennifer Lopez said the immigrant community in Georgia matters and they have rights.
“Without them, Georgia would have no farmers, caretakers, lawyers, architects, doctors,” Lopez said. The list goes on and on and on. Immigrants drive this Peach State. Immigrants get this job done.”
GLAHR’s final event for the days of action will be conducting public outreach in locations around Atlanta, Savannah, Dalton and Athens.
This article comes to Now Habersham in partnership with GPB News
