'Anti-Immigrant' Law Goes into Effect in Georgia

On July 1, the state law Senate Bill 529 went into effect in Georgia, requiring local governments to enforce federal immigration law and preventing undocumented immigrants from working and receiving public benefits. Employers must now verify the immigration status of their employees, and residents will be required to prove their U.S. citizenship in order to receive benefits.

Drivers will also be required to present a state license or ID in order to get a new license plate. The Georgia law calls for local police to be trained in enforcing immigration law while doing routine duties such as traffic stops. Immigrant rights advocates say the law will lead to greater racial profiling.

Victims of crimes may also be afraid to come forward to seek help for fear of being detained and deported. Some immigrants are leaving Georgia as a result, which could have a negative impact on the state's economy. National organizations say the collapse of the federal immigration reform bill could lead to more local laws like the one enacted in Georgia, in which state and local governments take matters into their own hands

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