Retired immigration agen Robert Trent: GA Lawmakers double-dealing on immigration - SB 354

Opinion

May 2, 2024

“I can’t help but wonder what Laken Riley’s family thinks about this travesty.”

Lawmakers double-dealing on immigration

UPDATE: May 3, 2024. GA Gov Brian Kemp (R) signed SB 354 on May 2 thus continuing the business-first push for dismantling long-standing law (OCGA 50-36-1) designed to stop illegal aliens from accessing occupational licenses in Georgia. As a state Senator, Kemp passed OCGA 50-36-1 out of committee as Chairman of the Senate Public Safety committee in 2006 and voted for the host legislation on the floor for final passage.

Dear editor

Conservatives who are thrilled with the state legislature for passage of HB 1105, the Georgia Criminal Alien Track and Report Act should be aware of another bill passed in the just-ended session. SB 354 is legislation that begins a process of disassembling an entire system designed to make life difficult for illegal aliens in Georgia.

Because sorting out and rejecting illegal aliens in the process of issuing occupational licenses is a package deal, ending the licensing process also eliminates the check for illegal immigration status. SB 354 does exactly that for some low skilled workers in cosmetology and barbering industry. Sponsored by Sen. Larry Walker (R-Perry) and pushed by the usual “We want more workers!” suspects in the state Capitol, this business-first legislation will result in more illegal immigration into Georgia. Obedient Republican lawmakers passed SB 354 with only two of them voting against it. Neither of them represents Coastal Georgia. Not many Republican voters want Georgia to be a great place for illegals to “live, work and raise a family.” I can’t help but wonder what Laken Riley’s family thinks about this travesty.

Sadly, nobody should be surprised if Gov. Kemp proudly signs Walker’s dangerous bill into law while assuring us that it’s “good for business.” But it is well worth the effort to ask Kemp to veto this one. SB 354 should be a cause of great shame for Republican voters if they remain silent. Kemp’s Capitol office phone number is 404-656-1776

St. Marys (here)

(Note from D.A. – Mr. Trent is a DIS friend and a retired Senior Special Agent of the former Immigration and Naturalization Service (USINS). He served on metropolitan area drug, and organized crime task forces for many years and supervised special agents assigned to the Joint Terrorism Task Force. In addition, he spent ten years as a uniformed Border Patrol agent assigned to both the northern and southern borders. Mr. Trent’s final career assignment was as the Assistant Director, Enforcement Training, U.S. Immigration Officer Academy, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Glynco, GA. )

—>UPDATE: The liberal AJC prints a lengthy correction after demand letter from the Dustin Inman Society. More news on this coming soon.

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Daily Signal News report (‘DEFAMATORY’: Conservative Demands Swing-State Newspaper Retract ‘Hate Group’ Smear’)
on the recent AJC attack here by the great Tyler O’Neil.

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I added educational hyperlinks to the below letter – dak.

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October 18, 2024

VIA U.S. REGULAR MAIL & E-MAIL

Leroy Chapman, Jr., Editor in Chief THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION 223 Perimeter Center Pkwy NE Atlanta, Georgia 30346

Re: Demand for Retraction and Apology

Dear Mr. Chapman, Jr.:

I write on behalf of my client, the Dustin Inman Society (DIS), to demand an immediate retraction and apology for the defamatory statements published in your October 7, 2024, article titled “Democrats in this Georgia district are backing a write-in candidate” by Tia Mitchell.

Through use of internet links, the AJC article wrongfully characterizes the Dustin Inman Society as a “Marietta-based anti-immigration hate group.” This characterization is false, defamatory, and published with actual malice. The Dustin Inman Society pushes for secure borders, is not “anti-immigration” and its proprietors do not hate anyone. Rather, DIS advocates for enforcement of U.S. immigration laws and actively opposes unlawful immigration. This distinction is crucial and well-known to staff at your publication.

I paste the offending paragraph from the AJC story:

“A search of activity under her birth name, Karen Sacandy, which Stamper legally changed in 2019, showed that she previously was aligned with a Marietta-based anti-immigration hate group. The group’s website often linked to Sacandy’s activities, like a letter seeking information about the state’s Immigration Enforcement Review Board and a copy of a letter to the editor supporting legislation to prevent immigrants claiming asylum from obtaining driver’s licenses.”

HEMMER WESSELS MCMURTRY PLLC
250 Grandview Drive, Suite 500, Ft. Mitchell, KY 41017 ● Phone 859.344.1188 ● Fax 859.578.3869

October 18, 2024 Page 2

We note the AJC informs readers that the Dustin Inman Society “often” linked to Karen Sacandy/Kate Stamper activities — but produces only two occasions.

Your story, for which DIS founder and president D.A. King was not contacted, informs readers that Sacandy/Stamper “was aligned” with the Dustin Inman Society. We note that polls show that a majority of Americans oppose the federal offense of illegal immigration. Since the letter posted on the DIS site was a published missive to the editor at the Cherokee Tribune, we must ask: does this make that newspaper a “Cherokee County-based anti-immigration hate group”?

Your characterization demonstrates a reckless and vindictive disregard for the truth, rising to the level of actual malice as defined in New York Times Co. v. Sullivan. Actual malice in defamation law refers to publication of a statement with knowledge that it is false or with reckless disregard of whether it is false or not. Your repeated mischaracterization of the Dustin Inman Society, despite having been corrected on numerous occasions, clearly meets this standard.

The Dustin Inman Society’s position on immigration is clear and public:

1. It supports sustainable levels of legal immigration through established channels.

2. It opposes unlawful immigration due to various societal concerns, including: – Strain on public resources and services
– Potential and real public safety issues
– Economic impacts on low-wage American workers and America’s poor

– Challenges to the rule of law

3. The Dustin Inman Society defends legal immigrants when media attempt to blur the difference between them and illegal aliens.

Moreover, the Dustin Inman Society’s board includes lawful immigrants who have navigated the proper channels for authorized immigration. This fact alone should dispel any notion that the organization is “anti-immigration.” As he has informed you multiple times over much of the last two decades, D.A. King’s sister is a real, legal immigrant.

While we acknowledge that the Southern Poverty Law Center has designated the Dustin Inman Society as an “anti-immigrant hate group that denigrates all immigrants,” your article presents the “anti-immigration hate group” characterization as the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s independent assessment and statement of fact.

This smear is not only demonstrably false and ignores Mr. King’s many communications to you advising you of the truth, but also demonstrates an exceedingly unprofessional failure to fact-check and verify information before publication.

We demand that the Atlanta Journal Constitution:

October 18, 2024 Page 3

1. Immediately publicly retract the defaming statement in the October 7, 2024, article.

2. Publish a prominent apology, equal in visibility and placement to the original defamatory article.

3. Cease and desist from further defamatory characterizations of the Dustin Inman Society.

Failure to comply with these demands may result in further legal action. We expect your prompt attention to this matter and await your timely response.

Sincerely,

Todd V. McMurtry

cc: James Abely, Esq.