Thread: Georgia begins appeal after judge blocks parts of immigratio

Georgia begins appeal after judge blocks parts of immigration law


By the CNN Wire Staff

July 5, 2011 7:38 p.m. EDT




Atlanta (CNN) -- Attorneys representing Georgia said the state is asking an appeals court to overturn a judge's decision blocking several parts of the state's new immigration law.

State officials had previously pledged to appeal the ruling, but Tuesday's notice of appeal filed in U.S. District Court was the first formal step in the process.

"An appeal will be filed with the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in the coming days," said Lauren Kane, a spokeswoman for the state attorney general's office, in a statement.

U.S. District Judge Thomas Thrash Jr. issued a preliminary injunction last week temporarily blocking key provisions of the law, which aims to crack down on illegal immigration.

The sections, originally scheduled to go into effect July 1, would allow police to inquire about immigration status when questioning suspects in certain criminal investigations. They also would punish people who, during the commission of a crime, knowingly transport or harbor illegal immigrants. Something like speeding or driving without proper equipment could constitute a crime.

"The apparent legislative intent is to create such a climate of hostility, fear, mistrust and insecurity that all illegal aliens will leave Georgia," Thrash wrote in his ruling.

Plaintiffs in the class-action suit against the law have argued that it is unconstitutional.

But state officials have contended that the provisions in the new law, known as HB 87, are necessary steps to protect state resources.

"Attorney General (Sam) Olens remains committed to defending HB 87 in court," Kane's Tuesday statement said.

The Georgia lawsuit is the latest battle in a nationwide skirmish between state and federal officials over who controls immigration enforcement.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/07/05/georgi ... n.lawsuit/

"The apparent legislative intent is to create such a climate of hostility, fear, mistrust and insecurity that all illegal aliens will leave Georgia," Thrash wrote in his ruling.

Of course what is there about the word illegal that you do not understand?

Added to Homepage:
http://www.alipac.us/article-6389--0-0.html

You go Georgia. Take it all the way. Fight to the end.

Thomas Thrash Jr was appointed to his Federal position by President Clinton back in 1997.

What Judge Thrash seems to be saying is that there's no convenient way for us to enforce our immigration laws. If states try to assist the Federal Government in identifying illegal aliens, the Feds claim that they're already overburdened. But if Georgia creates an environment that entices or forces illegal aliens to leave the state, then we're being just plain mean. Judge Thrash seems to not want to hurt the feelings of illegal alien criminals.

US District Court Judge Susan Bolton gave a different line of reasoning when she ruled against most of SB-1070 last year. She said, "Federal resources will be taxed and diverted from federal enforcement priorities as a result of the increase in requests for immigration status determination that will flow from Arizona."

Ironically, Susan Bolton was also appointed to her position by President Clinton back in 2000, on a recommendation by Senator John Kyl.

Judge Thrash seems to admit that illegal aliens would have left Georgia without his intervening ruling. After all, illegals started to leave Arizona even before SB-1070 would have taken effect. But if illegal aliens were to exit certain states en masse, how does this overburden the Federal Government, and drain it of resources? Only a paltry amount of illegal aliens would remain in the state.

Besides, the Supreme Court recently ruled that states are allowed to assist the Federal Government in immigration enforcement.

We all know these judges involved in any illegal immigration rulings are DEMANDED to rule at the mercy of the DOJ and Obama.