A new state panel aimed at helping enforce Georgia’s immigration laws unanimously approved its proposed rules Thursday.
The seven-member Immigration Enforcement Review Board plans to publish those rules on the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts website –www.audits.ga.gov – Friday. The public will be given time to comment on those rules before they take effect next year.
The 13 pages of rules address a variety of topics, including the powers of the board’s chairman and vice chairman, procedures for filing complaints with the board and rules on how the board will investigate and rule on those complaints.
The board stems from Georgia's new immigration enforcement law -- House Bill 87-- much of which went into effect July 1. That law gives the board the power to look into complaints that government officials are violating immigration-related state laws, including one that requires government agencies and certain government contractors to use the federal E-Verify program. E-Verify program helps employers ensure newly hired workers are eligible to work in the United States.
The panel will also have the authority to investigate allegations of local governments creating sanctuaries for illegal immigrants by not cooperating with federal officials in reporting immigration status information. Additionally, the panel could look into complaints about government officials failing to require people to show certain forms of identification before issuing them public benefits, such as food stamps, housing assistance and business licenses.
During its investigations, the panel will have the power to hold hearings, subpoena documents and hand out punishment. That punishment could include loss of state funding for government agencies and fines up to $5,000 for officials who "knowingly" violate the laws.
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