Thread: GA: Judge no novice on immigration

Judge no novice on immigration

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
June 3, 2011
By Bill Rankin; Staff

Atlanta jurist assigned to latest lawsuit previously presided over a challenge in 2001.

The judge assigned to hear the challenge to Georgia's strict new immigration law was once active in state Democratic politics --- and, after joining the federal bench, rejected a lawsuit seeking to overturn a state law that prohibits illegal immigrants from obtaining driver's licenses.

U.S. District Judge Thomas Thrash, 60, was nominated to the Atlanta court by President Bill Clinton.

Thrash obtained his law degree from Harvard University and entered private practice following two years as a Fulton County prosecutor.

He became a successful plaintiffs' lawyer and was chairman of the Cobb County Democratic Party.

He also has served as an attorney for the state Democratic Party.

On the bench, Thrash is all business.

Lawyers who appear before him applaud him for being deliberative and open-minded.

In 2001, Thrash was assigned a lawsuit challenging Georgia's law that restricts illegal immigrants from obtaining driver's licenses.

The suit maintained illegal immigrants were denied equal protection because the law interfered with their right to interstate travel.

Thrash said the suit's argument applied "the remarkable assumption that an illegal alien has the same fundamental rights as a citizen or lawful resident alien."

Because an illegal immigrant is subject to immediate arrest and deportation, Thrash said, "it strains all bounds of logic and reason to say such a person has a fundamental right of interstate travel."

Thrash dismissed the challenge.

The state, he said, "has a legitimate interest in not allowing its governmental machinery to be a facilitator in the concealment of illegal aliens."

http://www6.lexisnexis.com/publisher/En ... 58&start=1

Another one who gets it right? Incredible

the remarkable assumption that an illegal alien has the same fundamental rights as a citizen or lawful resident alien."

Illegals have very few rights. They have a right to be detained. Theyhave a right to be arrested. Theyhave a right to be sent before a judge. They have a right to be deported. All other rights are reserved for LEGAL citizens of this nation. You want rights ....come here legally.

Originally Posted by BillCunnane

Illegals have very few rights. They have a right to be detained. Theyhave a right to be arrested. Theyhave a right to be sent before a judge. They have a right to be deported. All other rights are reserved for LEGAL citizens of this nation. You want rights ....come here legally.

Personally, since they aren't supposed to be here in the first place, I don't think they should have the right to appear before a judge.

"They have the right to remain silent!"

Originally Posted by stevetheroofer

"They have the right to remain silent!"

.......and the right to fasten their seatbelt on the American funded return trip home!