Georgia Governor Nathan Deal has signed a controversial immigration reform measure that puts the state in line Arizona for having a very strict immigration laws. Georgia is now one of 3 states including Utah to adopt such comprehensive immigration legislation.I think that Georgia is making a big mistake by adopting this measure. The governor is very proud of the measure stating that this "a rather historic moment,".
I do believe that illegal immigration is an issue that needs to be addressed but there needs to a federal law in place. These kind of measures put an unneeded weight on local law enforcement and put all citizens in a scary space. The bill as a whole is actually not bad in intention but the motion supports racial profiling. How many Europeans or White South Africans will get hemmed up on this law. I am sure that there will be rise in unnecessary police harassment to Hispanics, Blacks and Asians. Who will all be pulled over under the suspicion of being an illegal aliens. This measure is even opposed by Grammy Award winning guitarist Carlos Santana publicly weighed in on the Arizona and Georgia Bills at the MLB Civil Rights Game on Sunday, calling the laws "anti-American." The bill is anti what this country is built on. It is very fitting that Santana spoke out about this during the Civil Rights game at Turner Field in Atlanta, GA. This is a big Civil Rights issue. It was disturbing that the crowd responded negatively to his statement. In a packed stadium in a city with a deep civil rights legacy would support something like this. Maybe we have not come as far as we thought.
We are all immigrants or descendants of immigrants. Bills like this and the "Birther Bills" that other states are attempting to pass is consistent with the racist overtones that have thrown out there lately. This appears to be especially true in Republican dominated states.
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