By MARY LOU PICKEL
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 02/28/08

A bill that would allow police to seize cars from illegal immigrants was approved by the House Thursday.

Bill sponsor Rep. James Mills (R-Gainesville) repeatedly told House members Thursday the measure would protect Georgia citizens from the "epidemic" of illegal immigration. "The state of Georgia's door is being kicked down," Mills said. Immigrants are coming from "Iraq, Iran, Irania, Jordan. We don't know where they're from," Mills said.

The measure passed 104 to 51, and will move to the Senate for consideration.

The bill would allow police to seize any vehicle involved in a traffic violation or accident if it's driven by an illegal immigrant. That includes rented and leased vehicles if the owner knew, or should have known, the driver was an illegal immigrant. It also includes bank-owned cars if the interest-holder actually knew the driver was an illegal immigrant.

The bill prompted a healthy floor debate. Some legislators asked how police would be able to determine whether a driver was an illegal immigrant during a traffic stop. Some wondered if it would create an atmosphere for racial profiling of drivers who police think might be illegal immigrants. Rep. Bob Lane (R-Statesboro), who represents rural south Georgia, worried farmers would lose their vehicles if they lent them to workers who might be illegal.

"Would you have to go down to the police station and say, 'I didn't know this person was an illegal immigrant, and I lent him the car to go down to the store to get some grass seed?'" Lane asked.

The vehicle seizure would work much the same way as property seizures in drug cases. But under the bill, if the owner of the vehicle presents a sworn affidavit that he or she did not know the driver was an illegal immigrant, they would get their car back, Mills said.

The legislation is part of a package of about 10 Republican proposals introduced this legislative session aimed at discouraging illegal immigration in Georgia.