In March, governor Brian Kemp announced that Georgia State Patrol Troopers would help the Federal Government to identify and arrest immigrants, who also lack the legal status until 287 (G).
The growing footprint of the program in Georgia announces a new, more aggressive era to enforce immigration in the state. And it is good news for the Trump administration, which signals to rely on state and local cooperation in order to increase the arrests and achieve their desired level of mass shifts.
“If you are illegally in our country and commit crimes, you have no place in Georgia,” said Kemp in an explanation in March.
In South Georgia, the largest ice finding center in the US credits will soon be located: AJC | Geo group | Openaerial map | DHS OIG | US immigration and customs authority | NPR | AP | Getty | Global prison project | TRACK
From January 20 to June 10, Georgia made up 3,280 ice arrest – the fourth most frequently nationwide, as the data of the state compiled by the New York Times can be seen from federal immigration. The number of Georgia arrested those who have been recorded in states such as New York or New Jersey who have large population groups with immigrants, but are less friendly towards Trump's immigration policy, as the data show.
The catalyst behind the expansion of the 287 (G) program in Georgia was the murder of the student student, Riley sheets, by an unauthorized immigrant.
Months after this attack on the University of Georgia's campus, the legislature of the state passed an immigration law of HB 1105, in which the sheriffs contributed to the enforcement of the Federal Immigration Act. The provisions in the legislation included Sheriffs a mandate, 287 (g) or not specified similar partnerships of immigration through immigration.
ExploreRiley act: What does the immigration calculation actually do?
The sponsor of HB 1105 was the state MP Jesse Petrea, a Republican from Savannah.
In an interview, he said that he was satisfied with the increase in Georgia -Sheriffs, who took part in the 287 (G) program since the legislation was signed in the law. The state, he said, was “fully against the Trump's approach to illegal immigration by the Trump government.
“That was the intention of HB 1105 to ensure that the law enforcement authorities with our organizations of the Bundeshomeland -Security cooperates completely,” said Petrea.
Although it can take different forms, the 287 (G) program takes place most frequently in local prisons, in which the officials contribute to deporting to the identification and processing of immigrants after their booking.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
What about the counties Metro Atlanta?
As part of President Joe Biden, ICE did not allow new applications from local law enforcement authorities for 287 (G). This changed in January when Trump returned to the White House and granted an executive regulation in which the extension of the program was requested. The number of 287 (g) agreements nationwide burned quickly.
Georgia consolidated the participation of the districts sheriffs in HB 1105. Despite this mandate, more than 100 counties in Georgia are still not displayed on the ICE list of the active 287 (G) KEURISADIONIONIONIONS or those with pending applications.
Petrea said that this may be due to federal officials who do not want to work with some local jurisdiction, since there is a greater need for immigration enforcement elsewhere.
“ICE must be sensible how they use their resources,” he said. “I think the holdup is not the sheriffs it before. The holdup is ice itself.”
ICE officers did not respond to a request for comments. Petrea said that the agency would probably prioritize “urban counties” with a larger population of immigrants in the country.
But none of the five core circles of Metro Atlanta, in which the majority of the state's immigrant population live, has 287 (g) partnerships.
Clayton County and Gwinnett County's offices did not answer questions from the Atlanta Journal Constitution in which they had not registered for 287 (G) or whether they had plans to start the application procedure.
“The Sheriff of the Gwinnett County has been in implementation,” said a Gwinnett representative in a statement.
A spokesman for the Sheriff's Sheriff of Fulton said that “the federal authorities did not contact the 287 (G) program to actively contact”. However, local law enforcement agencies that have to turn to ice to accept a partnership with 287 (G).
The Trump administration has taken steps to facilitate the application process for Sheriff's offices by making templates available for 287 (G) available agreements online. It has also shortened the necessary training for local officials.
The Dekalb County's office sent a letter to ICE in August 2024, which inquired about the 287 (G) program under bidges.
“There was no answer,” said the public information officer Cynthia Williams.
“When we applied for, but no details regarding the one have received [partnership] Process, we plan to reach again this year. As soon as we have received the associated information, we will consider entering a memorandum of understanding, ”she added.
In the meantime, Cobb County's office said that it “submitted all the necessary documents”. It is not clear why the district is not on the ICES list that shows active applications.
In contrast to Florida, compliance with legal administrations in Georgia, which requires 287 (g) applications, has also given its own legislative template in recent years, which hardened the enforcement of immigration in immigration – including a 287 (G) mandate.
From February, all 67 sheriffs of the Florida district had formalized their cooperation with ice cream through 287 (g).
Mike Mitchell is the deputy managing director of Georgia Sheriffs' Association. He said HB 1105 was not a mandate when it comes to applying to 287 (g).
“Although agencies” have to search ” [memorandums of understanding] Every year the ultimate decision for partners is the sheriff based on a variety of factors, especially the availability of resources to meet the expectations of IC, ”said Mitchell in a statement.
He found that HB 1105 obliges the sheriffs to take several steps to operate illegal immigration regardless of the entry of 287 (g) partnerships with ice, including the requirements for local civil servants who share immigration information with federal agents without legal status to collect them.
“There is no doubt” that the number of Georgia sheriffs for 287 (g) will only increase over time, “added Michell.
The counties Georgia, which work with ICE through the 287 (G) program:
- Bibb County
- Burke County
- Coutya County
- Columbia County
- Coweta County
- Dade County
- Dawson County
- Decatur County
- Floyd County
- Forsyth County
- Glynn County
- Hall County
- Harris County
- Jasper County
- Lumpkin County
- Madison County
- Monroe County
- Morgan County
- Oconee County
- Pierce County
- Polk County
- Tift County
- Walker County
- Whitfield County
