Via Yahoo.com

MIAMI (AFP) - The US state of Georgia has enacted one of the toughest laws targeting illegal migrants in the United States, requiring employers to verify the immigration status of workers before hiring them and penalizing those who hire undocumented workers.

"Georgia is a welcoming state that wants to treat our guests with Southern hospitality, but we cannot tolerate activity that distracts us from our ability to embrace those who come here legally," said Governor Sonny Perdue in signing the sweeping measure into law on Monday.

"We recognize that immigration is ultimately a national issue that needs a national solution," Perdue said. But the new law was necessary "because we need to know who is living here in Georgia, and for that matter, who is living in our country".

The law requires the verification of immigration status for anyone seeking state social benefits, public jobs or government contracts.

It prohibits businesses from claiming tax credits for undocumented workers they employ, retains a six-percent salary tax on immigrants, and demands that police verify the immigration status of anyone arrested on a serious criminal charge.

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