Georgia's governor on Friday signed a tough new state law cracking down on illegal immigrants that is similar to one enacted in Arizona last year, handing new powers to police in the southern state.
The law authorizes police in Georgia to investigate the immigration status of criminal suspects they think may be in the country illegally.
It also makes transporting and harboring illegal immigrants a crime and requires many private employers to check the immigration status of newly hired workers on a federal database called E-Verify.
Republican Governor Nathan Deal said the measure, passed by Georgia's Republican-controlled legislature, will take a burden off schools, hospitals and prisons by reducing the number of illegal immigrants in the state.
"This legislation is a responsible step forward in the absence of federal action," Deal said during a signing ceremony.
Enforcement of U.S. immigration laws traditionally is handled by federal, not state, authorities.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110513/us_nm/us_immigration_georgia
