The Supreme Court issued its decision in Arizona v. United States, in a resounding defeat for the anti-immigration movement, the Court affirmatively stated that three of the four provisions in question are PREEMPTED by Federal law, and most importantly that the show me your papers provision must be NARROWLY construed and enforced in order for it to remain constitutional, essentially …
Seven Reasons Why the Georgia Legislature Should Repeal HB-87
Recently the Alabama Attorney General called on the Alabama State Legislature to repeal parts of Alabama’s horrid anti-immigration law (HB 56), because of the “unintended” consequences of the bill (frankly, what happened was not unintended). Because of the similarity between the two laws, Georgia’s Speaker of the House, David Ralston was asked whether Georgia Legislature would repeal part or all …
Georgia’s Secure Document List–So What.
The Georgia Attorney General just issued his Secure and Verifiable Document List, as required under HB-87, Georgia’s Anti-Immigration Law. This list brings to mind the First Rule you need to know when a State passes an Anti-Immigration law. That rule is summarized in one word–“meaningless.” That’s right. The List, as written, is meaningless. The List changes NOTHING about Georgia law …
Georgia Republicans Afraid To Debate Their Own Bill?
It appears that the two Georgia Republican sponsors of the Arizona Copycat Legislation, HB 87, have backed out of an appearance with two Democratic opponents to this job-killing bill on Wednesday, March 23 at the Georgia State University Law School. The focus of this particular debate was to be the cost of HB 87, something these Republicans have refused to …
Utah, What Have You Done?
Much has been made recently of the Utah Legislature’s efforts in regards to passing a “balanced’ immigration bill. Specifically balancing the hatred and bias of an Arizona “style” immigration enforcement bill, with a bill which purports to grant legal status to undocumented people and creates a temporary worker program. The impact of this legislation just hit home here in Georgia. …
An Open Letter to Georgia House Speaker David Ralston on HB 87
Dear Speaker Ralston: Likely coming up for a vote this week is HB 87, a piece of legislation entitled the “Illegal Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act of 2011.” This bill is misnamed, as it does not reform illegal immigration and it does not increase or better enforcement against illegal immigration over current state and federal law. I strongly urge you …
What Part of Your Oath of Office Don’t You Understand?
I have been thinking a great deal recently about all of these state immigration bills proliferating around the United States, and the direct affront that many of them are to the U.S. Constitution. I wonder, do you violate your oath of office as an elected official, whether it be at the local or state level, if you advocate for and …
Purported Voter Fraud and the “Illegal” Bogeyman
Yikes–just when you thought this election season could not get any crazier. Last Wednesday, a Tea Party Congressional candidate from Arizona, Jesse Kelly, appeared on the Mark Levin show. Kelly stated that “rumors” were floating around that “Mexicans” were going to be bused in to vote against him in the election. LEVIN: You’re gonna have to squeeze out every single …
I HAVE Read the Arizona Law. And, It Still Stinks!
I was at church on Sunday when a fellow parishioner decided to engage me on the Arizona anti-immigration Law. His main point was this: ”it is exactly like federal law.” When I explained to him that it was not actually “exactly” like federal law and that in fact there is no federal law allowing for racial profiling and arresting people …