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Cherokee illegals law goes into effect

By CHRISTOPHER QUINN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 01/03/07

Cherokee County Marshal Ray Waters said his office received no complaints Tuesday that landlords were renting homes to illegal immigrants.

The county last month passed the state's first local ordinance aimed at punishing landlords. Enforcement is to be spurred by complaints to the marshal or the county business license office. The ordinance took effect Monday.

The commissioners did not discuss the ordinance during a meeting Tuesday, but they expect to discuss it, probably during a planning retreat later this month.

Three of the five commissioners have expressed concerns about legal liabilities the ordinance saddles the county with.

U.S. cities that passed similar ordinances in recent months have been sued by civil rights groups. One, Escondido, Calif., withdrew its ordinance after paying $90,000 in legal fees racked up by opponents.

A coalition of groups in Georgia, including the American Civil Liberties Union and the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund, have threatened to sue Cherokee County.

Some of Cherokee's commissioners think it may be wise to put off enforcement until a court rules in one of the other cases.

In another move, the commissioners voted to have another hearing on a controversial 4,000-acre rezoning.

Stephen Macauley has proposed building up to 12,000 homes and commercial centers on land that is now rural.

The commission tabled the rezoning issue last month.

The next hearing will be Jan. 30 at 6:30 p.m. in the Canton City Hall auditorium. The commissioners could vote on the rezoning Feb. 6.