Georgia bans funding to 'sanctuary' campuses

ATLANTA (AP):

Private colleges that don't cooperate with federal immigration authorities would lose state funding for scholarships and research under a new Georgia law.

Republican Gov Nathan Deal signed the measure on Thursday, April 27.

The measure is expected to have no immediate impact since no colleges in Georgia have embraced so-called "sanctuary" policies. Students at several metro Atlanta universities did call for changes following President Donald Trump's election.

Trump issued a series of immigration measures in January and has attempted to withhold federal funding from "sanctuary cities". A judge blocked the funding order this week.

Republican Rep Earl Ehrhart sponsored the Georgia proposal, saying that he wanted to ensure that no schools adopt such a policy. Advocacy groups say that the law sends an anti-immigrant message.

Lawmakers in Alabama, Indiana, and Pennsylvania have introduced similar bills.