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Georgia senators clash over federal immigration enforcement; some urge passage of SR605
Summary
Senators used personal-privilege time Jan. 27 to denounce recent federal immigration enforcement operations and to urge consideration of SR605 and related state measures; majority leadership called for fact-based review while several senators pushed for immediate action.
Members of the Georgia Senate devoted a substantial portion of floor time on Jan. 27 to criticizing recent federal immigration enforcement operations and urging state-level responses, including passage of a resolution labeled SR605.
Several senators described the killing of Alex Preddy in Minnesota as evidence of overreach by federal agents and urged the chamber to act. "I demand justice for Alex Preddy and Renee Goode," one senator said during a personal-privilege statement, framing the incident as an urgent matter of constitutional rights and public safety. Other senators called for hearings and the advancement of pending bills intended to regulate or limit certain federal enforcement practices in Georgia.
The majority leader said a review of the facts is needed. "The review should take place," the majority leader said on the floor, urging transparency and caution before broader judgments.
Speakers on both sides of the aisle linked the episode to wider questions about civil liberties, law enforcement tactics and due process. Minority caucus leaders and several Democratic senators pressed leadership to bring bills (including measures referenced as SB389, SB390 and SB391) and SR605 forward for debate or a vote. Supporters said the measures would protect constitutional rights and provide oversight; opponents warned that public claims should follow an evidentiary review.
No formal statewide policy change on the matter was adopted during the Jan. 27 session. Sponsors said they planned to seek action on SR605 on the consent calendar the next day and asked committee chairs to schedule hearings for related bills. The floor sequence concluded as the chamber moved on to routine business and the consent calendar.
