Thread: Opponents of GA immigration law plan rally

Opponents of GA immigration law plan rally
Jul 9, 2011 6:12am

TLANTA (AP) — Opponents of Georgia's new law targeting illegal immigration plan to rally at the state Capitol to demonstrate their outrage.

The demonstration Saturday at noon is the latest in a string of actions held by opponents to protest the law. Organizers say the Rev. Al Sharpton is set to speak at the rally.

A federal judge temporarily blocked two parts of the law, but many of its provisions took effect July 1. State officials have said they plan to appeal the judge's ruling.

Parts of the law that went into effect include making it a felony to use false information or documentation when applying for a job; and creation of an immigration review board to investigate complaints about government officials not complying with state laws related to illegal immigration.

http://www.necn.com/07/09/11/Opponents- ... e4d1f0a358

Back up the ICE bus.

Boo hoo. We got away with breaking the law this long and now you won't let us. Meanies!!

Opponents of GA immigration law rally at Capitol
Published: Saturday, July 9, 2011 2:35 p.m. MDT
By Kate Brumback, Associated Press

ATLANTA — Several hundred people, mostly labor union members, rallied Saturday at the Georgia Capitol against the state's new law targeting illegal immigrants. It was the latest in a string of actions by opponents to protest the law.

The Rev. Al Sharpton told the crowd the law violates civil and human rights and will lead to racial profiling of U.S. citizens and others who are in the country legally.

"We're going to stop it here before it goes any further to other communities," the New York-based minister and civil rights activist said. "We cannot have a nation where, based on your language or your race, determines your rights. Your rights must be determined by the fact that we're all equal."

The law's author, state Rep. Matt Ramsey, has dismissed concerns about racial profiling, saying the law includes language to protect against it. The Peachtree City Republican and other supporters say the law is needed to keep illegal immigrants from putting a strain on the state's resources, such as hospitals and schools.

The crowd at the Capitol was a sea of green T-shirts worn by members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. The union is holding a young workers conference in Atlanta and sent busloads of people to the rally.

"We're still a country that believes all people should benefit from human rights," said union secretary-treasurer Lee Saunders. "I think we've got to make our voices heard on the assault on workers, the assault on immigrants across this country."

Ben Speight, a local Teamsters organizer, echoed those sentiments and said labor groups must get involved.

"Let's get in the way of hate. Let's build a social movement," he said, to loud cheers. "Labor cannot be isolated. We've got to reach out to the community and stand up against hate."

A federal judge has temporarily blocked two parts of the Georgia law until a lawsuit challenging its constitutionality is resolved. State officials plan to appeal the judge's ruling.

One blocked section authorizes police to check the immigration status of suspects who don't have proper identification and to detain illegal immigrants. The other creates a state penalty for people who knowingly and willingly transport or harbor illegal immigrants while committing another crime.

Other parts of the law took effect July 1, including a provision that makes it a felony to use false information or documentation when applying for a job and another that creates an immigration review board to investigate complaints about government officials not complying with state laws related to illegal immigration.

Starting Jan. 1, businesses with 500 or more employees must use a federal database to check the immigration status of new hires. That requirement will be phased in, applying to all businesses with more than 10 employees by July 2013. Also starting Jan. 1, applicants for public benefits must provide at least one state or federally issued "secure and verifiable" document.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/7001 ... _cid=rss-5

Sharpton headlines rally against new illegal immigration law

By Laura Diamond


The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

3:44 p.m. Saturday, July 9, 2011

Opponents of Georgia's tough illegal immigration law descended on the state Capitol Saturday afternoon for a rally headlined by the Rev. Al Sharpton.

More than five charter buses emptied out several hundred people for the nearly one-hour downtown Atlanta rally, where Sharpton and other speakers said House Bill 87 violates civil and human rights and will lead to racial profiling.

"America's got to work for everybody or it doesn't work for anybody," Sharpton said. "Immigration is a federal policy and it must remain on a federal level with federal enforcement."

The law's supporters say Georgia is just upholding federal immigration laws. The new rules will prevent illegal immigrants from burdening the state's taxpayer-funded public schools, hospitals and jails, proponents say.

While a federal judge has blocked two provisions of the law, other parts went into effect July 1. Among those in effect are rules saying people who use false information or documentation to get a job could face up to 15 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines. The law also creates a panel to investigate complaints about local and state government officials who fail to enforce the new rules.

Just as the legal battles will continue, so will the rallies. Sharpton and others told the crowd they must return and continue the protests. Saturday's rally included members of the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees.

Georgia's Hispanic population has almost doubled over the past decade to 865,689 people, according to 2010 census figures. Estimates of the state's illegal immigration population vary, with the respected Pew Hispanic Center putting the figure last year at about 425,000.

www.ajc.com

Buses = Unions! It's all about the money as usual.