NPR

February 13, 2018

How Metro Atlanta Became A ‘Pioneer’ Of Immigration Enforcement

Arrests by federal immigration agents are way up.

Local law enforcement agencies are eager to help.

And judges rarely side with immigrants fighting deportation.

This is metro Atlanta. By almost any measure, it’s one of the toughest places in America to be undocumented.

A Father, A Husband, An Immigrant: Detained And Facing Deportation
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A Father, A Husband, An Immigrant: Detained And Facing Deportation
“I hope it’s true,” said Phil Kent, a member of the Georgia Immigration Enforcement Review Board. “I would hope that Atlanta is one of the tougher places.”

Georgia has some of the strictest immigration laws in the country. Driving without a license, for instance, is a jailable offense here. So undocumented immigrants who get behind the wheel in this sprawling state risk arrest.

“We were a pioneer state … almost every year in our legislature trying to tighten up with regard to immigration enforcement,” said Kent, whose board is charged with ensuring that the state laws are enforced. More here.