Griffin state Rep. under fire

GRIFFIN - A member of the Georgia House is under fire for comments he made at a candidates forum about how the U.S. should handle illegal border crossings from Mexico.

Georgia News Network reports Griffin Republican John Yates urged the U.S. Government to warn people who plan to cross the Mexican border illegally that federal agents will "shoot to kill."

And, Yates says he stands by the comments

"If they come over here on these raids, killing ranchers and everything, then you've got to stop them some way."

Immigration activists say Yates' comments could incite violence against members of the Hispanic community.