Judge to hear case on Georgia immigration law...

After supporters and critics of Georgia's controversial new immigration measure faced off in federal court Monday, a judge said he hoped to weigh in on the law by next week.

U.S. District Judge Thomas Thrash Jr. said he intended to issue a written ruling before July 1, when the law is scheduled to go into effect.

Attorneys representing plaintiffs in the class-action suit against the law asked Thrash to issue a temporary injunction that would stop the law, known as HB 87, while the court considers the case.

Attorneys representing the state filed a motion to dismiss the class-action suit.

"HB 87 is deeply flawed and fundamentally unconstitutional," said Omar Jadwat, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union.

Immigration laws are the U.S. government's responsibility, he argued.

"It's not for Georgia to make the decision that federal law is insufficiently harsh," he said.

The state law, which is aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration, allows police to ask about immigration status when questioning suspects in certain criminal investigations.

It also allows the imposition of prison sentences for people who knowingly transport illegal immigrants during the commission of a crime and says that workers convicted of using fake identification to get jobs could be sentenced to 15 years in prison and fined $250,000.

"Sometimes the law is harsh, there's no question about that, but that doesn't make it unconstitutional," said Devon Orland, senior assistant attorney general for the state.

Thrash questioned Orland throughout the two-hour hearing, repeatedly asking the attorney to clearly define the purpose of the law.

"Don't you concede that this provides local law enforcement with a tremendous amount of discretion?" he asked.

Orland compared the new immigration measure to provisions that allow local authorities to make arrests using federal laws in drug and weapon cases. She argued the law mirrors federal immigration regulations and clarifies the role that local law enforcement plays in enforcing them.

But Thrash said the law appeared to give local governments too much leeway.

"You're going to have 159 different versions, because every county and municipality will have its own interpretation of the law," he said.

Economic issues also figured prominently in Monday's hearing.

Orland argued that money was one of the main motivations of Georgia's law, saying illegal immigrants were using state resources.

Judge hears case against Georgia's immigration law - CNN