LAWRENCEVILLE - The Gwinnett County Commission chairman wants the sheriff's department to begin enforcing federal immigration laws but the sheriff says he can't afford to do it.
Chairman Charles Bannister is calling for Sheriff Butch Conway to sign up for a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement program that trains deputies to start deportation proceedings for illegal immigrants booked into the jail.
In 2007, Cobb County Sheriff Neil Warren became the first sheriff in Georgia to initiate the ICE program. A spokeswoman for ICE, Pat Reilly, says Whitfield County in north Georgia will begin training deputies this month.
Conway says he doesn't have the resources to designate the five or six deputies needed for the task. He said Wednesday his department had 60 deputy vacancies last year. He says commissioners denied a request for more than 40 additional deputies in 2008 because of budget constraints.
Bannister argues the county must move forward with the issue of illegal immigration, even if it's costly.
Two ICE agents are stationed full time at the Gwinnett County Jail. Last year, 360 inmates were deported. The sheriff's department says 127 were placed on hold pending further investigation into their residency status.
Email Story
Contact Editor
Print
Posted: Thursday, January 3rd 2008 at 7:56am
