Thread: GOP bills target illegal immigrants, sex offenders

posted on Thu, Nov. 16, 2006

GOP bills target illegal immigrants, sex offenders

SHANNON McCAFFREY
Associated Press

ATLANTA - Georgia Republicans are again taking aim at illegal immigrants and sex offenders, both popular targets in the last legislative session.

Eric Johnson, the state Senate's top Republican, introduced a bill Thursday to make it a crime for sex offenders to photograph anyone under age 18. State Sen. John Douglas, R-Covington, put forward legislation making property owned by a person in the country illegally ineligible for tax exemptions.

Both bills were filed in advance of the 2007 legislative session set to begin Jan. 8. Lawmakers were able to begin "pre-filing" legislation Wednesday.

Laws cracking down in illegal immigrants and sex offenders were centerpieces of the GOP agenda in the 2006 session.

Portions of Georgia's tough new law cracking down on where sex offenders can live, work and loiter have been challenged in the courts. A judge has blocked part of the law banning sex offenders from living within 1,000 feet of bus stops.

Sara Totonchi, public policy director of the Atlanta-based Southern Center for Human Rights, said the plaintiff in that lawsuit is the perfect example of why the new law is not needed. Wendy Whitaker was convicted of sodomy for having consensual sex with a 15-year-old boy when she was 17.

"To think that someone like Wendy Whitaker could face prosecution for photographing her niece at a family picnic illustrates how absurd the debate on sex offenders has become in Georgia," Totonchi said.

Johnson, of Savannah, said the bill was inspired by Vickie Lewis, a constituent from Richmond Hill. Lewis' daughter had her photo snapped at the coffee shop where she worked by a man police later learned was a sex offender from another state. Police told Lewis there was nothing they could do about the incident.

"We want to make sure that this doesn't happen to any other young Georgian," Johnson said.

Immigration was another hot topic this year. State lawmakers passed a sweeping law requiring verification that adults seeking many state-administered benefits are in the country legally. It sanctions employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants and mandates that companies with state contracts check the immigration status of employees. The bill is set to take effect in July 2007.

Douglas said Thursday he could not cite any examples of illegal immigrants taking property tax exemptions in Georgia.

He said he came up with the idea to further tighten tax laws on illegal immigrants after hearing from constituents during his re-election bid.

"People told me they were ready to take punitive steps even further," Douglas said.

"It's making sure people who are here illegally don't get tax breaks. We already have a problem with them paying income taxes because they are paid in cash."

Jerry Gonzalez, of the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials, warned that state lawmakers might be overplaying their hand, especially with a new Democratic Congress breathing life into a federal guest worker program in Washington.

"They risk alienating people if they keep beating this anti-illegal immigrant drum," Gonzalez said.

ON THE NET

Georgia General Assembly: http://www.legis.state.ga.us
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16029505.htm

State Sen. John Douglas, R-Covington, put forward legislation making property owned by a person in the country illegally ineligible for tax exemptions.

I'm still wondering when our U.S. Congress is going to pass a bill making it illegal for illegal immigrants to own property in the United States. I'd like to see an American citizen enter Mexico illegally and purchase property - doesn't happen, because it's ILLEGAL!

I'm still wondering when our U.S. Congress is going to pass a bill making it illegal for illegal immigrants to own property in the United States. I'd like to see an American citizen enter Mexico illegally and purchase property - doesn't happen, because it's ILLEGAL!

I think that non citizens can own property in Mexico, but they can't own property within 50 miles of the beach. Non citizens that do "buy" beachfront property do it through a convoluted process with a holding company of partnership of some kind. Ther is no illegal entry into Mexico from here. They make you provide financial statements and fill out all kinds of paperwork, they want to make sure the money is in place before you can stay.