Georgia Democrats push bills to limit ICE, Guard operations in the state

Georgia Democrats started the second day of session with a stream of proposed legislation to attempt to rein in federal immigration enforcement in the state.

“As this regime has sought to build a wall against progress, the progress of achieving America’s values and ideals, we must build a wall against (President Donald Trump),” said Senate Minority Leader Harold Jones. “The legislation presented here today is a step towards protecting all of Georgia’s citizens and making sure that we continue to pursue America’s ideals and goals.”

The goal of the legislation is to limit the operations of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the National Guard in Georgia. The legislation follows the deadly ICE shooting of Renee Good in Minnesota.

Senate Bill 389 calls for ICE agents to display badges and prohibits wearing face coverings while on duty, except for health or safety reasons.

State Sen. Kim Jackson, D-Stone Mountain, is one of the sponsors of the bill and spoke on The Ron Show about the legislation. She said the legislation simply requires ICE agents to follow the same procedures as other law enforcement in the state. She pointed to the Georgia State Patrol troopers in the Capitol to show that they wear a badge, and their faces are visible.

“We need to know that if it’s actually truly an ICE agent who is knocking on the door, we need to be able to see a badge and a face that we can identify to know for sure that it’s actually not just a vigilante who decided to take justice in their own hands, and is going to go about yet another lynching,” she said.

Here are other bills that were introduced:

• SB 391 requires a judicial warrant for any government agency to conduct immigration operations at a public place of worship, hospital, school, college campus, public library or family violence shelter.
• SB 397 allows Georgians to bring civil suits against federal officials who violate constitutional rights.
• SB 390 states that National Guard troops cannot be stationed in Georgia without permission from the governor with some exceptions.

Listen to the full conversation with Jackson on The Ron Show. You can hear The Ron Show weekday afternoons from 4-6 on GA Now, or check out the daily podcast wherever you get your podcasts.