Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Increase Legislators eye Arizona-style ideas on immigration
By Jeremy Redmon


The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A state legislative panel studying whether Georgia should adopt an Arizona-style crackdown on illegal immigration has received a long list of proposals to consider, including authorizing all local and state law enforcement officers to enforce federal immigration laws.

Also on the list is a proposed requirement for all businesses to use the federal E-Verify database to ensure their employees are in the country legally. Other proposals include creating new criminal offenses for people who stop vehicles to hire and pick up day laborers; conceal, harbor or shield illegal immigrants; or encourage illegal immigrants to move here.

These proposals are outlined in a Nov. 3 memo from deputy legislative counsel Terry Long to the Joint House and Senate Study Committee on Immigration Reform. Long does not identify the sources of the ideas in her memo, but she said they did not come from her office.

Sen. Jack Murphy, R-Cumming, co-chairman of the committee, said the ideas came from legislators and various organizations from around the country, including the National Conference of State Legislatures. Murphy’s panel is seeking to draft a comprehensive immigration bill before the next state legislative session starts in January.

Regarding the proposal to give local police the power to enforce federal immigration laws, Murphy indicated that could present some legal challenges.

“I’m not sure we can do that,â€