Immigrant advocacy groups, led by Rich Pellegrino and the Cobb Immigrant Alliance, want Gov. Nathan Deal to veto recently passed immigration legislation.

The bill, HB 87, would be costly to enforce, has already and will continue to hurt tourism and convention business and will lead to more racial profiling, Pellegrino said Wednesday at a press conference on the Marietta Square.

The bill allows police to check people’s immigration status, and requires many businesses to verify the immigration status of new hires.

This week the U.S. Human Rights Network canceled plans to hold its biannual conference in Atlanta because of the bill. The Atlanta City Council has also asked Deal not to sign HB 87, and the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau also opposes the bill.

Deal has said he would sign the legislation.

Pellegrino’s group is prepared to organize boycotts and protests if the bill is passed.