Committee to Meet on Illegal Immigration

ATLANTA - The issue of illegal immigration takes center stage at the state capitol Wednesday.

A special legislative committee will meet to discuss possibly strengthening anti-illegal immigration laws.

The committee's co-chair expects bills to be filed when legislators retu in January to toughen state laws dealing with illegal immigration.

"We've got a long way to go. We're certainly going to look at what Arizona has done. We're going to look at what other states have done and potentially adopt some of those things into legislation that we put forth before the house and senate," said state representative Matt Ramsey.

Arizona passed a controversial law requiring police to arrest people they think are in country illegally.

That law set off protests and brought the issue to the forefront here in Georgia. A Homeland Security report says there are actually more illegal immigrants living in Georgia than Arizona.

Representatives from the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials say the loss of immigration labor would devastate the state's agriculture.

GALEO executive Jerry Gonzalez says the solution must come from Washington.

"All the smoke and mirrors of the Georgia legislature can do will amount to nothing. Fundamentally we need something in Congress and we need it sooner rather than later," said Gonzalez.

The Georgia House and Senate Special Committee is scheduled to meet sometime Wednesday afteoon.