GA'S CHEROKEE COUNTY GRANTED SAVE SYSTEM ACCESS BY FEDS

The Cherokee Tribune reports that the Cherokee County, Georgia, government now
has access to the federal SAVE database (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements) through an agreement with the Department of Homeland Security to verify citizenship and immigration status information of non citizens and naturalized citizens applying for public benefits. This term is used very broadly, because non citizens do not qualify for public benefits at all. So, what does this mean? Cherokee county will use this database to check applicants for alcohol licenses, peddler/solicitor licenses, amusement activities licenses, occupational tax, pawnshop licenses, pool room licenses, massage practitioner licenses, precious metal dealer licenses, adult entertainment establishment licenses, ambulance franchise licenses, wrecker licenses and taxi/limousine licenses. The new verification process comes after anti-immigrant groups lobbied the Cherokee County board to restrict business activities of the immigrant population there. It is unclear how many immigrant will actually apply for such licenses, and when the county will recoup the approximate cost of $25,000 to implement the system.