The law forces police to hand over undocumented immigrants to immigration in Georgia, US

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signs controversial immigration law

Controversially, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed a new law Wednesday requiring police to inform and hand over to immigration authorities any person they suspect is in the country without permission.

The law, known as HB 1105, was passed by the Georgia legislature in March and requires suspects believed to be in the country illegally to be held in jail and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The measure also penalizes police officers who fail to notify ICE of a foreigner in custody who is believed to be undocumented. The law gained momentum after the tragic murder of nursing student Laken Riley on the campus of the University of Georgia in Athens.

Venezuelan José Antonio Ibarra, who was arrested as a suspect in Riley’s murder, entered the country in 2022 as part of the wave of asylum seekers. The case has sparked a national debate on immigration, with Governor Kemp and Republicans demanding reports from the US Congressional Judiciary Committees on Ibarra’s immigration status and why he was released.

The bill’s signing has sparked outrage among immigrant advocates, who argue it will only stoke fear and mistrust within immigrant communities, hampering their ability to cooperate with law enforcement agencies and report crimes.

The Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights organized a rally in front of the Georgia Capitol to protest the bill. Meanwhile, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill last March called the Laken Riley Act that would require ICE to detain and deport immigrants who have committed minor crimes.

Governor Kemp defended the new law, saying, “If you enter our country illegally and continue to commit crimes in our communities, we will not allow your crimes to go unanswered.”

As the debate over immigration continues to heat up in Georgia, it remains to be seen what impact this new law will have on immigrant communities and law enforcement efforts in the state.

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