7/7/2008 - Alabama Contractors Monitor Georgia’s New Illegal Immigrant Law

Alabama Contractors Monitor Georgia’s New Illegal Immigrant Law

Associated Press
Published: July 6, 2008

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - Labor lawyers and contractors in Alabama say they are monitoring the effect of a tough new Georgia law on illegal immigrant workers.

Bill Caton, spokesman for Associated General Contractors in Birmingham, says there are concerns among some firms in Alabama that Georgia’s new law could have a spillover effect.

Construction firms in recent years have turned to Hispanic immigrants to fill openings.

The Security and Immigration Compliance Act passed by Georgia lawmakers was signed into law by Gov. Sonny Perdue in April 2006, just as Congress failed to pass comprehensive immigration reform.

The law was touted as one of the nation’s toughest because it required government agencies and private firms seeking state contracts to use a federal electronic verification system to check for workers in the U.S. illegally.

Starting this week, Georgia firms with at least 100 workers are required to comply with the law.

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