Illegal Immigration Law Requirements

The Illegal Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act (House Bill 87) requires local governments and businesses to adhere to certain guidelines.

People come to Tattnall County to conduct a wide range of personal and work-related business. Under these guidelines they may have to complete additional paperwork or provide additional documentation to receive public benefits in order for the county to comply with the federal and state immigration laws.

The first requirement calls for any person seeking a public benefit through the county to present a secure and verifiable document. Public benefits include such things as an occupation tax certificate (business license), an alcohol license and contracts.

It further requires any person required to present identification to the county for any official purpose to present a secure and verifiable document. This means that anyone who applies for a public benefit through a county must now not only submit a Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) affidavit but they must also present a secure and verifiable document. Although counties may accept affidavits in person, electronically or by mail, secure and verifiable documents can only be submitted in person or electronically and cannot be accepted by mail.

For more information on what is considered a public benefit and a list of approved secure and verifiable documents, go to the Georgia Attorney General’s website at www.law.ga.gov.  Click on “Key Issues, and then “Immigration Reports.”

The second requirement calls for private employers with 10 or more employees seeking an occupation tax certificate (business license) or any other document required to operate a business within the county to register for and use the E-Verify program and to sign an E-Verify affidavit.  E-Verify is a federal program that checks the employment eligibility of all new hires.

Private employers that are not subject to this requirement must sign an exemption affidavit. The affidavits for business owners are also available on the Georgia Attorney General’s website.

The Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) worked to help counties understand the requirements for compliance and reporting established through the Illegal Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act through regional training programs for county staff.  For additional information on what counties must do to comply with this new law, go to www.accg.org and click on “Immigration.”