Section 35-1-17. Local law enforcement agencies to enter into agreements with federal agencies for the enforcement of immigration laws

   (a) It is the intent of the General Assembly to encourage Georgia law enforcement officials to work in conjunction with federal immigration authorities and to utilize all resources made available by the federal government to assist state and local law enforcement officers in the enforcement of the immigration laws of this state and of the United States.

(b) Cooperation with federal authorities.

   (1) To the extent authorized by federal law, state and local government employees, including law enforcement officers and prosecuting attorneys, shall be authorized to send, receive, and maintain information relating to the immigration status of any individual as reasonably needed for public safety purposes. Except as provided by federal law, such employees shall not be prohibited from receiving or maintaining information relating to the immigration status of any individual or sending or exchanging such information with other federal, state, or local governmental entities or employees for official public safety purposes.

   (2) State and local agencies shall be authorized to enter into memorandums of understanding and agreements with the United States Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, or any other federal agency for the purpose of enforcing federal immigration and customs laws and the detention, removal, and investigation of illegal aliens and the immigration status of any person in this state. A peace officer acting within the scope of his or her authority under any such memorandum of understanding, agreement, or other authorization from the federal government shall have the power to arrest, with probable cause, any person suspected of being an illegal alien.

   (3) Except as provided by federal law, no state or local agency or department shall be prohibited from utilizing available federal resources, including data bases, equipment, grant funds, training, or participation in incentive programs for any public safety purpose related to the enforcement of state and federal immigration laws.

   (4) When reasonably possible, applicable state agencies shall consider incentive programs and grant funding for the purpose of assisting and encouraging state and local agencies and departments to enter into agreements with federal entities and to utilize federal resources consistent with the provisions of this Code section.

(c) Authority to transport illegal aliens. If a state or local law enforcement officer has verification that a person is an illegal alien, then such officer shall be authorized to securely transport such illegal alien to a federal facility in this state or to any other temporary point of detention and to reasonably detain such illegal alien when authorized by federal law. Nothing in this Code section shall be construed to hinder or prevent a peace officer or law enforcement agency from arresting or detaining any criminal suspect on other criminal charges.

(d) Authority to arrest illegal aliens. When authorized by federal law, a state or local law enforcement officer shall be authorized to arrest any person based on such person's status as an illegal alien or for a violation of any federal immigration law.

(e) Immunity. A law enforcement officer or government official or employee, acting in good faith to enforce immigration laws pursuant to an agreement with federal authorities to collect or share immigration status information, or to carry out any provision of this Code section, shall have immunity from damages or liability from such actions.

Code 1981, § 35-1-17, enacted by Ga. L. 2011, p. 794, § 9/HB 87; Ga. L. 2012, p. 775, § 35/HB 942.