House OKs seizing vehicles from illegal immigrants


The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 02/28/08

A bill that would allow police to seize cars from illegal immigrants was approved by the House Thursday.

Bill sponsor Rep. James Mills (R-Gainesville) repeatedly told House members Thursday the measure would protect Georgia citizens from the "epidemic" of illegal immigration. "The state of Georgia's door is being kicked down," Mills said. Immigrants are coming from "Iraq, Iran, Irania, Jordan. We don't know where they're from," Mills said.

According to the new bill, police can seize any vehicle involved in a traffic violation or accident if it's driven by an illegal immigrant. Do you think it's fair?
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The measure passed 104 to 51, and will move to the Senate for consideration.

The bill would allow police to seize any vehicle involved in a traffic violation or accident if it's driven by an illegal immigrant. That includes rented and leased vehicles if the owner knew, or should have known, the driver was an illegal immigrant. It also includes bank-owned cars if the interest-holder actually knew the driver was an illegal immigrant.

The bill prompted a healthy floor debate. Some legislators asked how police would be able to determine whether a driver was an illegal immigrant during a traffic stop. Some wondered if it would create an atmosphere for racial profiling of drivers who police think might be illegal immigrants. Rep. Bob Lane (R-Statesboro), who represents rural south Georgia, worried farmers would lose their vehicles if they lent them to workers who might be illegal.

"Would you have to go down to the police station and say, 'I didn't know this person was an illegal immigrant, and I lent him the car to go down to the store to get some grass seed?'" Lane asked.

The vehicle seizure would work much the same way as property seizures in drug cases. But under the bill, if the owner of the vehicle presents a sworn affidavit that he or she did not know the driver was an illegal immigrant, they would get their car back, Mills said.

The legislation is part of a package of about 10 Republican proposals introduced this legislative session aimed at discouraging illegal immigration in Georgia.

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Comments

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By Maggie Martinez

Apr 26, 2008 7:18 AM | Link to this

Representative James Mills is a Republican representing the people of Gainsville. As you can see his ignorances denotates that he doesn't know his constituents and how the demographic is changing in his district. I am asking Jerry Gonzales, (GALEO), Rep. Pedro Marin, and the hispanic community & organizations, to look close during this primaries and before May 2nd, 2008; a hispanic should run againts this "insensible clown payaso"; Rep. James Mills; and beat him-up at the polls. This is the only way the republicans will respect the Hispanic community. I am asking publicly to Governor Perdue to veto this bill (law). Wake-up people from Gainsville. !A La Lucha!
Maggie Martinez

By JERRY

Apr 14, 2008 1:24 PM | Link to this

Cry all you want to george,it's about time that action was taken on illegal aliens,since our impotent government has failed miserably to do anything.Also, to all the legal hispanics whining about racial profiling,just don't break our driving laws and you won't get stopped.

By Gonzalo Díaz

Mar 14, 2008 10:42 AM | Link to this

Georgia always spearheading tolerance, inclusiveness, compassion in the country.
Good job, Representative James "Irania" Mills!

Gonzalo Dıaz

By carmen

Mar 13, 2008 5:10 PM | Link to this

Is this bill not say we want a recession please, as if banks aren't having enough time with forclosures now lets take the cars that they have financed.

As a hispanic women I almost can't wait for this law to be passed, I can only imagine how many times I will be pulled over because some racist cop we assume I'm illegal. But hey racial profilling is as american as apple pie!!

By George

Mar 3, 2008 2:26 PM | Link to this

I am so disappointed of AJC for evidently censuring the messages they donıt like. I posted a message on Saturday questioning the motive of Rep. Mills without insulting him but this media did not approve my message to be approved. This is what we are afraid of when the media is afraid to put the real facts out. Shame on you AJC!

By George

Mar 3, 2008 2:18 PM | Link to this

I am so disappointed of AJC for evidently censuring the messages they donıt like. I posted a message on Saturday questioning the motive of Rep. Mills without insulting him but this media did not approve my message to be approved. This is what we are afraid of when the media is afraid to put the real facts out. Shame on you AJC!

George

By Bill

Mar 2, 2008 7:11 AM | Link to this

They can impound/seize all the cars they want. It won't have even a negligable imopact on traffic or
driving without a license. I see this almost EVERY SINGLE DAY. The
Highway Patrol pulls a car over for a violation, and it is determined that the driver hasn't got a license (except for their Mexican drivers license), OR they somehow got one, and it's suspended and they're driving anyway. The car is automatically towed for IMPOUND with a MANDATORY 30 day hold on it. These illegals know the drill. They know full well that if they get stopped, their car is impounded for 30 days.
To them, it's a write-off, and the price they pay for being here illegally and driving without a license. To them, its no big deal. They remove the few possessions they have in the car (Stereo faceplate, speakers) and walk away from it.
They'll find another $200.00 "smoker" with current registration tags, and drive it until they get "popped" again, and the cycle perpetuates. They get their car towed at noon, and by dinner time they're back behind the wheel of another unregistered, uninsured piece-of-krap, and still driving without a license. The ones who get "burned" are the tow companies who have to store these things for 30 days, and sell them at "lien" to try and recover at least a fraction of the tow/storage fee's. Or, the tow owner may simply sell it for scrap for pennies on the dollar. 10% of "something" is better than 100% of "nothing." Instead of impounding these thngs and merely citing the illegal driver yet again, they should start physically arresting these people and contacting ICE. But, since this is California, THAT'LL never happen. And, ICE isn't interested in these types of violations, so, again, the cycle perpetuates. The best way to eliminate this problem? Enforce existing laws that have already withstood constitutional challenges,
and start NAILING thesde employers who hire illegals. Turn off the "Job Spigot" and watch these illegals repatriate themselves and self-deport. They've already caused, and continue to cause roadway carnage and financial burdens on society as a whole, no matter what these pro-illegal/pro open border/pro amnesty liberal zealots try and brainwash us to the contrary.

By Redneck

Mar 2, 2008 12:39 AM | Link to this

Can somebody tell me where is that country, I am just another ignorant like you guys and our so called " State Rep Mills" as well as the reporter who wrote the story, it is laughable to read this kind of quotes that just add to our ignorance no wonder people call us rednecks LOL!!! Now I understand that since 9/11 people from those countries - except from IRANIA- can not com illegally and in fact come as refugees legally so Mills comment is not even accurate.


I have a proposal let's make it mandatory for our State Reps take a geography class, I am glad our 5 year olds don't read this blogs..what an embarrassment.

By the way if any American is loosing a job to an illegal immigrant YOU ARE A REAL LOOSER how come you can not compete with a guy who does not even speak English ? and if that is the case YOU should be embarrassed, Shame on you !!! It takes more to be an American we should work hard , and stop having the 9 to 5 mentality at least I have learned that from "illegal" they really sweat it and employers love that !!! If our purpose is to get them out then we need to be really to be better than them in the work place, stay late, go the extra extra mile, etc... I guess employers will really suffer and in the long run we consumers will have to pay more for our produce since it will be picked by our American expensive hands!

By George

Mar 1, 2008 6:00 PM | Link to this

This is clearly an act of racism. Everyone who knows Rep. James Mills, knows how racist he is. He is frustrated that there are so many Hispanic in his kids school, and thats why his kids don't get to play in the baseball team. Just ask him, he'll tell ya. He is going around and complaining that his kids cant win anything in the student body because all the Hispanic kids are voting for other Hispanics.
What a shame!

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