Georgia's Largest Police Departments Bypass State Immigration Laws

"Three years ago this month Georgia drew national attention when it followed Arizona’s lead and enacted sweeping legislation to drive out immigrants living illegally in the state.  The part of the law that has drawn the most attention gives state and local police the option to investigate the immigration status of certain suspects and to detain them and take them to jail if they are determined to be in the country illegally.  Supporters predicted that provision would protect Georgia’s taxpayer-funded resources.  Opponents unsuccessfully sued to scrap it, saying it is unconstitutional.  But many of Georgia’s largest police departments ultimately decided not to enforce that provision, according to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution investigation.  Among them: the cities of Atlanta and Sandy Springs, and Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties." - Jeremy Redmon, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, May 25, 2014.