ATLANTA — Immigration advocates from across metro Atlanta gathered at the state capitol Thursday, urging lawmakers to halt progress on several pieces of legislation they claim will adversely affect immigrants in Georgia.
Among the bills drawing scrutiny is HB 1105, which proponents argue would mandate local law enforcement agencies to notify immigration officials upon the commission of a crime by an undocumented individual.
The advocates, comprising a coalition of multicultural and multifaith community organizations, convened outside Liberty Plaza this morning to denounce the proposed legislation's perceived threats.
Annette Aguilar, a Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights spokesperson, emphasized the urgency of their opposition to HB 1105, especially in the wake of recent events such as the tragic death of nursing student Laken Riley on the University of Georgia campus and the subsequent arrest of Jose Ibarra, who authorities allege is undocumented and charged with Riley's murder.
"We don't want them to use our community members and to target and continue to harm our communities because of what happened in Athens," Aguilar said.
Republican lawmakers, however, assert that HB 1105 is essential for community safety and cite incidents like Riley's killing to bolster their argument.
State Representative J. Collins defended the bill, stating, "This bill will send a clear message that adherence to the law is not optional."
Despite the passage of the bill in the Georgia House, opposition remains strong among immigrant advocates, who dismiss claims that such legislation would prevent crime.
"Politicians are using this as a scapegoat to continue and push their anti-immigrant agenda," Aguilar said.
As the bill now awaits consideration in the Senate, the debate over immigration policies in Georgia continues to be contentious and deeply polarized.
Editor's note: A video version of this story reported that HB-1105 was introduced after the February death of nursing student Laken Riley. It was introduced on Jan. 31, several weeks before her death.