Latino community advocates celebrate growing political power in Georgia

At a time of national turmoil over federal immigration enforcement efforts, representatives of Georgia’s Latino community showed up at the state Capitol Thursday to demonstrate their growing political clout in the battleground state.  This year, as the state gears up for consequential statewide elections, advocates stressed the central role that the Latino community plays in […]

GALEO’s Deputy Director Elisa Covarrubias speaks at the 4th annual Latino Day at Georgia’s state Capitol. Maya Homan/Georgia Recorder

At a time of national turmoil over federal immigration enforcement efforts, representatives of Georgia’s Latino community showed up at the state Capitol Thursday to demonstrate their growing political clout in the battleground state. 

This year, as the state gears up for consequential statewide elections, advocates stressed the central role that the Latino community plays in Georgia, and highlighted the collective electoral power that Latino voters are amassing throughout the state. According to the GALEO Impact Fund, which focuses on expanding the political power of Georgia’s Latino residents, Latino voters across the state now number roughly 500,000, and make up around 5% of Georgia’s electorate.

“We are here to stay,” GALEO’s Deputy Director Elisa Covarrubias said, speaking at the 4th annual Latino Day at Georgia’s state Capitol. “With our voices and our votes, we have the ability to influence policies that affect us in Georgia and beyond.”

This year’s event was hosted by the Latino Community Fund and GALEO, along with 14 other partner organizations aimed at supporting immigrant populations and advocating for Georgia’s Latino residents.

“Latinos don’t just work hard, we create, we build, we start businesses and we add to the beautiful multicultural texture of the United States of America,” Covarrubias said.

Kemp signs bill into law forcing sheriffs to enforce federal immigration law

Speakers also highlighted federal and state policies they say have incited fear in immigrant communities across Georgia, even among residents with legal status. 

In 2024, Gov. Brian Kemp signed legislation requiring law enforcement to notify federal authorities when immigrants who are not here legally are arrested in Georgia. Under the law, passed as House Bill 1105, local governments risk losing state funding and police and local officials could face misdemeanor charges for failing to comply.

Harsh immigration policies, “have stoked fear in families that do not do nothing but work hard, play by the rules and just ask for a fair chance,” said Sen. RaShaun Kemp, an Atlanta Democrat. “These families build homes, grow food, care for loved ones, and power small businesses, yet many now hesitate to call the police when they’re victims of crime or even take their kids to school.”

Rep. Marvin Lim, a Norcross Democrat who immigrated to the U.S. from the Philippines, echoed Kemp’s sentiments.

“To me that is not safety,” Lim said. “To me, that is making things much less safe for all of our communities, not just our Latino population, not just our immigrant population.”

Lim also highlighted House Bill 1053, a bill he introduced last week with other House Democrats which he said would “unchain” law enforcement officers from state mandates requiring them to partner with federal immigration agents. 

Other bills introduced by Democrats include measures that would require ICE agents to display badges and prevent them from wearing face coverings while on duty, and allow Georgians to bring civil action against federal officials who violate Georgians’ constitutional rights.

“HB 1105, and many other actions we’ve taken here in Georgia, including cooperation with the [Trump] administration, have made Latinos feel unwelcome in Georgia, and it is coming with a price,” Lim said. “If you don’t care about civil and human rights, as I personally think you should, then it is absolutely coming with an economic price.”

Rep. Jesse Petrea, a Savannah Republican who was the lead sponsor of HB 1105, said that immigration agents were only targeting immigrants who have committed crimes, or who have active deportation orders.

“I disagree wholeheartedly with that characterization, and so do a lot of immigrant folks that support my bill,” he said.

Senate Majority Leader Jason Anavitarte, a Dallas Republican and vice chair of Georgia’s Hispanic Legislative Caucus, also dismissed the claims, arguing that Democrats were taking discussions about immigration enforcement efforts out of context.

“There’s a lot of Latinos in Georgia that are watching what’s going on, that are going to work today, trying to earn a living, make money for their family and take care of their family that are not out protesting,” he said. “I think there’s a pretty left-leaning group that’s trying to gin up all this animosity in a lot of communities, and I don’t think that’s what we should be doing.”