Feds stick to their focus as Georgia lawmakers seek to crack down on illegal immigrants

by The Atlanta Journal Consitiution Rn T.Com

A top federal immigration official for Atlanta said her agency will stick to its priority of deporting violent criminals amid efforts by state lawmakers to crack down on a broader variety of illegal immigrants in Georgia.

Complaining about inaction in Washington, Georgia legislators have introduced bills aimed at preventing employers from hiring illegal immigrants and barring those illegal immigrants from attending the state’s colleges and collecting workers' compensation. They are also studying a tough new Arizona law that requires police officers to check the immigration status of people they stop for questioning.

But the federal government -- which is responsible for detaining and deporting illegal immigrants -- has limited resources and can’t catch all illegal immigrants, said Felicia Skinner, the director for enforcement and removal operations for the Atlanta field office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. So the agency is focusing on deporting those convicted of violent crimes, including killers, rapists, kidnappers and robbers.

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