Governor Deal Poised to Sign Divisive Immigration Bill in Georgia

[Derechos]

Source: Atlanta Progressive News

(APN) ATLANTA -- Governor Nathan Deal is poised to sign the controversial racial profiling immigration bill, HB 87, into law. He has until May 24, 2011, to sign or veto the bill before it automatically becomes law, that is, forty days since it was passed by the legislature.

Deal is in a bit of a bind because Georgia Republicans are pushing for him to sign the bill, even as he plans a trip to Europe where he will be trying to convince companies to do business in Georgia.

The bill was supported by anti-immigration groups like the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), which is listed as a hate group; the extreme right-wing American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC); the Ku Klux Klan; and the Correction Corporation of American (CCA), which stands to make record profits from this law.

The bill was widely supported by Republican legislators, who wanted to satisfy their right-wing base.

Those opposed to the bill include the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia, the Anti-Defamation League, Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, Asian American Legal Advocacy Center, Catholic Conference of Georgia, Georgia Agribusiness Council, Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Farm Bureau, Georgia Hotel & Hospitality Association, Georgia Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, Georgia Legislative Black Caucus, Georgia Restaurant Association, and the Government Contractors Association.



Read more: http://www.atlantaprogressivenews.com/interspire/news/2011/05/12/governor-deal-poised-to-sign-divisive-immigration-bill-in-georgia.html

[Derechos]

1. Governor signs bill -

Source Yahoo

Georgia governor signs immigration crackdown law

ATLANTA (Reuters) – Georgia Governor Nathan Deal signed into law on Friday an immigration bill giving police authority to question suspects about their immigration status which is similar to a controversial measure passed in Arizona.

The law also requires many private employers to check the immigration status of newly hired workers on a federal database called E-Verify.

Deal said the law will take the burden off Georgia's schools, hospitals and prisons by reducing the number of illegal immigrants in the state.

"This legislation is a responsible step forward in the absence of federal action," Deal said during a signing ceremony in his office at the Capitol.

Reaction from critics of the legislation was swift.

"Today is a dark day for Georgia," said Jerry Gonzalez, executive director of the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials, or Galeo.

"Our concern stems from the very serious economic repercussions that will be felt against our state on numerous fronts and the very serious civil and human rights abuses that will also likely follow..."

Opponents predicted costly and drawn-out litigation similar to what has happened following Arizona and Utah laws.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110513/us_nm/us_immigration_georgia

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Oh goodie, another state to boycott.

[groundloop]

3. I'd support you in that, but it'll be tough to boycott myself

Yeah, we've got a real winner in the governor's mansion right now. Between the crook who calls himself governor and our right win legislature we're doomed to live in the dark ages. They've already shown they're priorities by drastic cuts to education while at the same time giving huge tax breaks to large corporations. At the rate we're going our children will only be qualified to work in poultry plants, all the high tech jobs will be elsewhere because of our declining education system.