Some Georgia senators have cut off most state aid to local governments by cutting off most state aid to local governments, targeting cities and counties that claim immigrants in the country are in the country illegally without authorization. Some are calling for penalties such as the removal of the legislator from public office.
The Senate Public Safety Committee voted 4-1 Wednesday to rewrite House Bill 301, which supporters say is needed to implement a 2009 state law that outlaws so-called sanctuary cities and counties. did.
This is the latest measure proposed by Republicans after police accused a Venezuelan man of beating a nursing student to death on the University of Georgia campus.
Republican House of Representatives introduces Laken-Reilly law that would require ice to be used to detain immigrants arrested for theft
Jose Ibarra was arrested last month on charges of murder and assault in the death of 22-year-old Laken Riley. Immigration authorities say Ibarra, 26, entered the country illegally in 2022. It is unclear whether he has applied for asylum.
Riley was a nursing student at Augusta University’s Athens campus. She was found dead on February 22 after her roommate reported that she had not returned from a morning run in a wooded area.
A Senate committee has completely rewritten the bill that previously regulated penalties for issuing speeding tickets using automatic cameras. State Sen. Kim Jackson, D-Stone Mountain, complained before the meeting that he didn’t have time to read the new language, calling it “frustrating and disappointing.”
Georgia Sen. Randy Robertson speaks about a bill that would penalize cities and counties that violate state immigration laws during a Senate Public Safety Committee meeting at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta on March 6, 2024. I can see you doing it. (AP Photo/Jeff Amy)
The new bill would allow any Georgia resident to sue and ask a judge to declare whether a city or county violated the 2009 law. If the justices agree, the state would cut off state aid and federal aid it administers, except for some emergency and medical services. For example, counties and cities cannot receive state funds for road construction and maintenance.
A judge could restore funding if the local government repeals the violating policy. In that case, a judge would be required to issue a permanent order prohibiting the government from re-adopting any sanctuary policy.
The bill also provides for the removal of local elected officials if a city or county adopts a sanctuary policy. This bill would allow any Georgia resident to file a complaint with a community board. The board will conduct a hearing to determine whether the officer violated state law and recommend to the governor whether to suspend the officer. The governor may then remove the officer and appoint a replacement.
Officials can petition for reinstatement, but only if they can show that their service is “likely to improve” the government’s ability to comply with anti-sanctuary laws.
Sen. Randy Robertson, R-Cataula, told the committee the measure would ensure the sheriff’s office complies with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and does not circumvent the 2009 law.
“What we’ve done with this bill is we’ve added teeth because in the past we didn’t have teeth,” Robertson said.
Critics of the bill say it is yet another attempt by Republican lawmakers to impose their will on cities and counties, and would force activists to tie cities and counties to court and administrative proceedings. are doing.
“If you don’t like what your local government or your local sheriff is doing, there’s a built-in way for communities to hold themselves accountable, and that’s elections,” said Georgia Policy Director Isabel Otero. “They should not be ordered to the community.” For the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Otero likened the action to Georgia’s former Immigration Enforcement Review Board, which investigated complaints about local immigration enforcement. For example, then-Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle filed a complaint in 2017 accusing the Atlanta suburb of Decatur of violating state law when he was running for governor. The board dismissed the charges against Decatur, and the board was quietly dissolved by law in 2019.
This is the second bill pushing for a tougher stance on immigration this year. Last week, the Georgia House of Representatives voted 97-74 to pass House Bill 1105, which requires local law enforcement to identify illegal immigrants in the country and detain them for deportation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
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On Wednesday, several Republican lawmakers, including Lt. Gov. Bert Jones, said Athens-Clarke County is targeted by the new proposal.
“As part of our continued commitment to protecting Georgians, we are taking a firm stand against those who violate the law and seek to implement sanctuary policies that harbor criminals,” Jones said in a statement. ” he said.
Athens-Clarke Mayor Kelly Gertz denied that the combined city-county violated state law, noting that it submits a certificate of compliance annually. Critics pointed to a 2019 resolution by the Athens-Clarke County Commission that said local governments “seek to foster communities where individuals of all statuses feel safe.” But Gertz points out that the resolution is not legally enforceable.
