Law takes aim at illegal immigrant hiring

ATLANTA - Gov. Sonny Perdue has signed a bill that would penalize local governments for failing to check the immigration status of people that they hire and those receiving public benefits.

The measure is designed to put teeth in a 2006 law cracking down on illegal immigration in Georgia. That law required governments and companies that do government business to use federal databases to check the immigration status of those that they hire. But there was no penalty for failing to do so. GOP lawmakers said some local governments were ignoring the law.

Under the new measure, governments that fail to run the checks could lose funds in the state budget.

The new law takes effect Jan. 1.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2009/5/220382