10 Countries Sue Georgia Over Immigraton Law

Mexico and 10 other countries have filed amicus briefs in a lawsuit that asks a judge to declare Georgia's new immigration law unconstitutional and to block it from being enforced, reports WSBTV.

Civil liberties groups filed the lawsuit two weeks ago.

The new Georgia law authorizes law enforcement to check the immigration status of a suspect who cannot provide accepted identification. If in the country illegally, the suspect can be detained and given to federal authorities.

"It's an absolute outrage that civil liberties groups are doing this," said Ron Clark of Northeast Cobb. "America is a great country. I understand the desire to come here, but do it legally. Our hospitals and prisons are burdened with expenses from illegal immigrants."

The countries suing Georgia include: Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Peru.

Civil liberties groups have asked U.S. District Judge Thomas Thrash to prevent the Georgia law from taking effect until the lawsuit has been resolved.

According to Bloomberg Businessweek, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal and other state officials asked Thrash Tuesday to dismiss a federal lawsuit that seeks to block the state's crackdown on illegal immigration, one day after another lawsuit was filed seeking federal government intervention against the new law.

Thrash said he will hear arguments June 20 on the request, reports Bloomberg Businessweek.