Thrash cleared the way for Georgia law enforcement authorities to begin checking the immigration status of criminal suspects who fail to produce proper identification.
The decision came in connection with Georgia’s Illegal Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act (HB 87) passed last year. Judge Thrash had put preliminary injunctions in place last year preventing enforcement of two provisions of the law, pending the outcome of a legal challenge against it by various “pro-illegal” groups.
One of Thrash’s injunctions blocks the part of the law that makes it illegal to knowingly harbor or transport an illegal immigrant during the commission of a crime. That injunction remains in place.
The other provision in question — and the far more significant of the two — makes clear that it is legal for police, sheriffs, etc., to verify the immigration status of criminal suspects. Opponents of the law like to call this the “show me your papers” statute in an effort to make opponents sound like the Gestapo, when in fact, they merely favor strict enforcement of our laws. Had the courts struck down that provision, it might have weakened the underpinnings of the federal 287(g) immigration program that allows local law enforcers to check the immigration status of those taken to jail on other charges. Cobb Sheriff Neil Warren, who was the first in Georgia to make use of 287(g) back in 2007, has turned over about 10,000 inmates to ICE since then. Opponents of the section of HB 87 in question and of the 287(g) program claim that they encourage racial profiling, but have never been able to produce verifiable evidence that is the case.
A three-judge panel from the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had said in August that police could start enforcing that provision unless the state or the plaintiffs asked for a rehearing by the full court. Thrash quietly signed an order that showed up in an online filing system on Tuesday which lifts that part of the injunction. It means that law enforcement agencies can immediately start enforcing that section of the law.
It’s worth reiterating that Georgia (and other states like Arizona and Alabama) only passed such laws because of Washington’s failure to lead. We now have the spectacle of a president using an executive order to open the door to millions of illegals already in this country in order to allow them to compete for your job.
But thanks to HB 87 and the courts, and to Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens of east Cobb, who defended the state’s law in court, it is now clear that state and local governments have at least a measure of legal authority to protect themselves from the ill effects of illegal immigration.
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For many years now, those claims have been made again, and again. It has to have happened, but it was pervasive, nor encouraged by anyone, anywhere, so far as can be determined, and was, at its inception, a way to dodge the law of the land. But for illegal aliens, that is the common method of dealing with the law, and speaks volumes to the creditability of their claims. We must continue to check the claims, and do that with skepticism rather than an effort to condemn the the people against whom the charges were made. I would suggest Congress, then, check the stories before they move to condemn.
•The one in 1986 for 2.7 million aliens, the amnesty to end all amnesties.
•section 245(i) rolling amnesty of 400,000 in 1994
•section 245(i) extension in 1997
•Central American Relief Act that gave one million Central Americans amnesty 1997
•Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act a amnesty for Haitians 125,000 in1998
•Late amnesty an amnesty for 400,000 that claimed they should of been included in the 1986 act. California courts were back up for years by the claims, finally we gave up. 2000
•Life act amnesty a continuation in 2000 of the 245(i) act 900,000 (approx)
All totaled 6-7 million in seven amnesties. Today 7 million non-farm jobs are being worked illegally while more than 23 million citizens and legal immigrant workers can't find full-time employment. Amnesty has proved seven times it does not work, it's time for enforcement.
And if you would like to work in the fields and in the jobs these new immigrants take go for it--they have been trying to recruit black and white American citizens to no avail.
1)Myth: "Georgia (and other states like Arizona and Alabama) only passed such laws because of Washington’s failure to lead" Fact: The federal govt in the past seven years has repeatedly tried to pass bi-partisan legislation, the first of which was authored by McCain-Kennedy, which would have fixed the immigration problem--however it has been blocked by the far right (including many of those, like yourselves, who blame the federal govt for not acting)
2)Myth: We now have the spectacle of a president using an executive order to open the door to millions of illegals already in this country in order to allow them to compete for your job.
Not only is this statement a farce it is race-based fear mongering of the worse type. Facts: 1) Fact:The president authorized youth who were brought here as children through no fault of their own to have deferred status for two years entitling them to continue their education, military service, and yes, to work--but I doubt that means they are computing for your job unless you work for minimum wage.
2)Fact: Now that the majority of Americans have spoken in favor of Comprehensive Immigration Reform which includes a pathway to legal residence for these good hardworking immigrants (just like our ancestors), both Republicans & Democrats are working together to make this happen early next year (including some Republican Conservatives right here in GA who I have been speaking with.)
It is high time that Marietta, Cobb and GA join the union and get on the right side of history on this issue, and not repeat the mistakes of the past when we were slow to provide civil/equal rights for all and acknowledge that people of color are equal human beings and not property.
But I like watching you. Youneed to find some more people to go on a hunger strike Rich...while you don't go on a hunger strike. Charlatan
That is precisely right.