Cagle proposes state Immigration Enforcement Director

ATLANTA - State Senator Casey Cagle of Gainesville introduced legislation Thursday that would create the position of state "Immigration Enforcement Director." It would be a part of the State Office of Homeland Security.

The Director would be charged with two key responsibilities. First, the new position would focus on ensuring that employers are aware of their responsibilities under federal and state laws pertaining to immigration.

Secondly, under Cagle's proposal, the Director would be responsible for ensuring that all state agencies have the information they need to comply with state and federal law, with a specific focus on agencies that provide public benefits.

"Our immigration laws create a large set of mandates for Georgia employers. I have discussed those laws with numerous employers, and they clearly want to comply with them but often lack the information needed to do so effectively. This new focus within the Office of Homeland Security will close this gap, and give employers the information and assistance they need to fully comply with the law," said Cagle.

"The second focus of our bill is giving state agencies -- particularly those that provide public benefits -- a better ability to determine how immigration laws apply to their delivery of benefits and services to applicants. In my view, this information can return significant revenues to Georgia taxpayers as we improve our ability to limit illegal access to public benefits."