Republicans in the Georgia State House of Representatives have advanced legislation aimed at addressing the impact of illegal immigration, by targeting officials in sanctuary cities who refuse to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The move comes after the tragic murder of Laken Riley, a nursing student who was assaulted by an individual who was residing in the country illegally.
READ: Suspect in UGA Nursing Student Murder Is—Surprise—In the Country Illegally
The bill, if passed, would impose consequences on “sheriffs and jailers” who fail to collaborate with ICE to deport illegals who commit violent crimes.
Georgia law already restricts cities and counties from adopting a “sanctuary policy,” where local officials give safe harbor to people who are living in the country without legal permission.
However, House Bill 1105, sponsored by Republican state Rep. Jesse Petrea, would build upon that restriction by imposing penalties on sheriffs and jailers who do not cooperate with federal immigration agents when someone in custody is not a U.S. citizen.
Officers are supposed to communicate with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency when someone who has been sent to jail is found to have entered the country illegally and hold them if enforcement officials send a warrant.
But some cities, such as Athens-Clarke County, limit their coordination and refuse to keep people in jail after completing their sentences to make it harder for federal authorities to deport them.
Petrea, who represents Savannah, filed the bill in January, but it has gained momentum following the death of nursing student Laken Riley, who was found unconscious Thursday on a trail on the University of Georgia’s campus hours after she went for a run. The suspect charged in her death, Jose Antonio Ibarra, lives in Athens but is not a U.S. citizen. Authorities say he entered the U.S. illegally in 2022 and was previously arrested in New York.
The murder of Riley by Venezuelan national Jose Antonio Ibarra has reignited discussions around sanctuary city policies and their implications for public safety, as the nation contends with a three-year-long border crisis. The horrific incident prompted Republicans in the state legislature to take this action.
Interestingly enough, the White House has also addressed the sanctuary city issue, calling on those officials to assist in the apprehension and removal of illegal aliens who pose a threat to national and public safety.
The White House is calling for “sanctuary” cities and jurisdictions across the U.S. to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in turning over criminal illegal immigrants for deportation, just as there is renewed scrutiny over such policies in the wake of several high-profile crimes committed by illegal immigrants who had previously been released by local law enforcement despite pleas from ICE.
“We welcome local law enforcement’s support and cooperation in apprehending and removing individuals who pose a risk to national security or public safety,” a White House spokesperson told Fox News Digital on Wednesday in response to a question about its stance on sanctuary cities. “When a local jurisdiction has information about an individual who could pose a threat to public safety, we want them to share that information with ICE.”
“Just since May 12, DHS has removed or returned more than 565,000 individuals — the vast majority of whom crossed the Southwest Border. 565,000 removals and returns is more than every full fiscal year since 2013,” they said.
The debate over sanctuary cities is not new. Over recent years, states like Texas have taken to transporting asylum seekers and illegal immigrants to blue cities with sanctuary status, to force them to share the burden that their policies have placed on much of the country. This has motivated some Democratic politicians to criticize the Biden administration for its failure to handle the problem at the southern border. Even New York City Mayor Eric Adams appears to have had a change of heart when it comes to sanctuary laws.
As Georgia pushes forward with the legislation, the national conversation on immigration policy and public safety continues, as America goes through another election year. Immigration will likely play a significant role in shaping the outcome of the race.
