Georgia congressman Hank Johnson
Georgia congressman Hank Johnson has joined law enforcement and religious leaders in calling for immigration reform.
He spoke at a news conference Tuesday at Atlanta's Martin Luther King Junior Center. Law enforcement officials, including Atlanta Police Chief Richard Pennington, said immigration reform would improve the security of local communities by creating trust between officers and immigrants. The speakers also called for both secure borders and the humane treatment of the illegal immigrants already in this country.
The news conference came a day after President Barack Obama, speaking in Mexico, said immigration reform would likely have to wait until ne AirTran faces increased competition from Southwest Airlines. An AirTran executive told employees in a memo Tuesday obtained by The Associated Press that the carrier's decision to cease operations effective October 25th at Newark-Liberty International Airport.
AirTran currently operates five flights a day on weekdays between Atlanta and Newark.