Protestors who marched on Governor’s Mansion say they’ll rally in Athens

The protestors who marched to the Governor’s Mansion in Atlanta say they’ll also hold a demonstration in Athens. They want Governor Brian Kemp to veto a bill he’s already signed. It’s the measure that requires local law enforcement to cooperate with federal officials in determining the immigration status of suspects booked into jails in Georgia. House Bill 1105 was inspired by the February murder of Laken Riley, the 22 year-old nursing student killed in Athens, allegedly bn an illegal migrant from Venezuela.

From WSB TV…

Dozens of protestors marched to the Governor’s mansion Thursday morning, demanding that Governor Kemp veto House Bill 1105.

Governor Kemp already signed the bill.

It’s a bill that protestors believe will allow police to racially profile all immigrants, not just those here illegally.

Governor Kemp says the bill is to protect Georgians.

“They know this will cause harm to the communities,” said Geovani Serrano with The Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights.

Serrano said he won’t stop demanding the governor to veto House Bill 1105. It’s a bill that now requires sheriffs and corrections officers in Georgia to report suspected illegal immigrants to ICE after they’ve been arrested.

“It’s legislation that devalues the contributions that the immigrant community has given to our state, to our state for many years...contributions to infrastructure including the development of the 1996 Olympics,” said Serrano.

Channel 2′s Tyisha Fernandes talked with a spokesperson for Governor Kemp. He said the bill is not aimed at racially profiling immigrants. Its focus is keeping dangerous illegal immigrants off the streets and deported back to their countries.

Serrano said studies show, most of the immigrants arrested in Georgia are not charged with serious or violent crimes.

“A majority of the people who were impacted and deported it was for minor traffic violations, so that’s driving without a license, the lights are not working, small traffic violations,” said Serrano.

“We have three days of action we’re doing against HB 1105. Today is our second day and we have our community members come to our office scared, like what are our rights? What can we do to protect ourselves because this is reality now Georgia once it was signed,” said Dalia Perez with The Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights.

Their third day of action is Friday.

They’re heading to Athens and Dalton to hand out information to immigrants who feel like House Bill 1105 puts a target on their backs.

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