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Immigration bill passes Georgia Senate
A controversial immigration bill has passed the Georgia Senate on Thursday, the day after the father of a college nursing student who was murdered in Athens addressed the chamber. Investigators say the man who killed her was in the country illegally. What the bill requires.
ATLANTA - Georgia lawmakers passed a controversial immigration bill that would penalize local sheriffs who don't work with federal immigration officials.
State Sen. John Albers, R-Roswell, said House Bill 1105 is a public safety bill that specifically deals with criminals.
He insists the bill was years in the making, and not a knee-jerk reaction to the murder of nursing student Laken Riley who was killed while jogging on the UGA campus in February.
Police said the man charged with her death is in the country illegally.
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Laken Riley honored in Georgia Senate
Laken Riley's father spoke on the Georgia Senate floor after a resolution was passed to honor the Augusta University nursing student. RIley was murdered and her body was found on the University of Georgia campus.
"Her family is devastated," Sen. Albers told reporters. "This could have been prevented. I hope laws like this and other things that are happening will prevent future tragedies from happening."
Laken’s family made an appearance in the Senate chamber Wednesday. Her father urged lawmakers to take action.
"God gave me a beautiful daughter to father, protect, provide for, and nurture," Jason Moore told lawmakers. "A man with an evil heart stole her life. He was in this country and in this state illegally. My vision for every senator in this chamber is that you protect citizens from this illegal invasion."
HB1105 would require local law enforcement to help federal agents enforce immigration laws and enact penalties for sheriffs and jailers who don’t contact federal officials to check prisoners’ immigration status.
Opposition to Georgia's immigration bill
Democrats opposed to the bill insist the legislation wages war against immigrants, will lead to unintended consequences, and be difficult to enforce.
"Is it just to punish thousands of men, women, and children whose only connection to the crime is share the immigration status of the perpetrator?" asked Sen. Nabilah Islam Parkes, D-Duluth, asked colleagues. "HB 1105 may provide comfort to some in this chamber, but for many of us who are immigrants or children born of immigrant parents, this bill renders us as collateral damage."
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Laken Riley Act introduced in U.S. Senate
Sen. Ted Budd, R-North Carolina, along with several other Republican senators, are pushing for the Laken RIley Act to pass in their chamber after passing the House earlier this month. What the act would require.
The measure passed along party lines. The bill now goes to the House for consideration. If the House passes the measure, it will head to the governor's desk for his signature.