More judicial activism.
(AJC) — A federal judge in Atlanta on Monday put on hold some of the most controversial parts of Georgia’s new anti-illegal immigration law pending the outcome of a lawsuit challenging the measure’s constitutionality.
In a 45-page ruling issued Monday, U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Thrash preliminarily enjoined the state from enforcing two provisions in the law that were supposed to go in effect Friday.
One of those provisions would empower police to investigate the immigration status of suspects who they believe have committed state or federal crimes and who cannot produce identification, such as a driver’s license, or provide other information that could help police identify them. The other would punish people who -– while committing another offense — knowingly transport or harbor illegal immigrants or encourage them to come here.
The judge said in his ruling that the civil and immigrant rights groups who are suing to block the law have shown they are likely to succeed with their arguments that these provisions are preempted by federal law. Republican state Attorney General Sam Olens issued a statement Monday, saying his office would appeal the judge’s decision on these two parts of the law.