Georgia House Passes Tough Immigration Law

Georgia lawmakers Thursday moved forward a get-tough-approach law against illegal immigration, the Gainesville Times reported Friday.

James Mills

The state’s House of Representatives approved a bill that mirrors Arizona’s controversial immigration law. The new law would allow police to verify the immigration status of criminal suspects and penalize people who transport or harbor illegal immigrants. The bill also would require employers to verify the immigration status of new hires and would make it a felony to present false documents when applying for a job.

“I think today's overwhelming passage of this bill expresses the sentiments of the pulse of the people," said state Rep. James Mills, a Chestnut Mountain Republican."The federal government has failed to secure our borders, and I'm thankful the state of Georgia has taken up the initiative on behalf of legal citizens to protect our homeland."

The bill now moves onto the state Senate, which passed a similar bill earlier in the week.