Georgia drew national attention and a federal court challenge three years ago when it followed Arizona’s lead and enacted a tough law to crack down on illegal immigration.
Like the law passed in Arizona in 2010, Georgia’s statute gives police the authority to investigate the immigration status of certain suspects. That law and the wave of unaccompanied Central American children coming to Georgia have emerged as flash points in the gubernatorial race between Republican Gov. Nathan Deal and Democratic state Sen. Jason Carter.
Carter — who voted against House Bill 87 in 2011 — said in an interview this month that the measure has harmed Georgia’s reputation and created an “economic disaster” for the state’s largest industry, agriculture.
Deal, who signed HB 87, responded that upholding the rule of law is important to Georgians. His campaign pointed out Carter’s opposition to the law last month, the same day Deal sent a scathing letter to President Barack Obama about the hundreds of immigrant children arriving in Georgia.
Their exchange of fire illuminates the sharp differences between the two candidates on immigration policy as they reach out to Georgia's growing numbers of Hispanic and Asian voters. Read about the debate at our premium myajc.com website.
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