Gubernatorial Candidate Nathan Deal Says He’ll Bring Arizona Law to Georgia

Former Rep. Nathan Deal (R-Ga.), who resigned his seat earlier this year to focus on running for governor in Georgia, said he supports Arizona’s new immigration enforcement bill, and if elected, he’ll bring it to Georgia.

Nathan Deal was a leader on the immigration issue when he was in
Congress. He helped Rep. Charlie Norwood draft the CLEAR Act, which is
now sponsored by Rep. Martha Blackburn (R-Tenn.). He also took charge on
the birthright citizenship bill after Rep. Brian Bilbray left Comgress.
He was the lead sponsor for the bill the last few Congresses, including
the current Congress. He fought amnesty and pushed enforcement in
H.R.4437 and safeguarded against illegal aliens getting covered in the
health care reform bills. 

“I agree with the Arizona governor and Legislature that the federal government has failed miserably at protecting our borders and enacting sensible solutions that would protect our states, counties and cities from bearing the enormous costs associated with illegal immigration, from emergency room visits to public schools to the criminal justice system,” said Nathan Deal. “As governor of Georgia, I’d work to pass and sign similar legislation.”

“The new Arizona law is called ‘controversial’ but 70 percent of Arizonans approve of it,” Deal said. “I think there would be similar support in Georgia for such legislation. Our public services are stretched beyond their limits during these tough economic times, and our open borders result in our states and counties importing poverty. Local taxpayers foot the bill for these significant additional costs. We have a national immigration system that imposes high hurdles for the highly skilled workers we need yet looks the other way on those who enter the country against the law. We need a guest worker program that’s both accountable and enforceable, but without granting a path to amnesty.

“It’s perfectly appropriate for state laws to complement federal laws. States are within their 10th Amendment powers to draft laws that deal with a huge, dangerous problem.

“States along the southern border have faced war-like conditions triggered by the violence of drug cartels,” Deal continued. “What we’ve seen historically in Georgia is that problems trickling over the border eventually flood over the border and strongly affect our state. Georgia has led where the federal government has failed by requiring immigration status verification for some public services and for those convicted of crimes. When I’m governor, I’ll continue the fight to use our state’s constitutional powers to enforce the rule of law. New immigrants have forever been an important part of our American culture, but our system must be orderly, sustainable and in accordance with the rule of law. That’s not happening now, so states are forced to take the needed steps on their own.

“As governor, I’ll encourage Georgia’s participation in the federal 287(g) program, which allows local law enforcement officers to work hand in hand with federal officials to enforce immigration laws.”

According to a recent report from the Department of Homeland Security, there are 480,000 illegal aliens residing in Georgia, ranking the state sixth in illegal alien populations. The state has seen the nation’s largest increase in illegal population since 2000. 

Read Roy’s blog, praising Deal for his work on the issue.