Note from D.A.- this represents more than 2 years of hard work from all of us at the Dustin Inman Society – THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!

Gwinnett Daily Post

10/7/2009

287(g) moves forward
Deputies will begin deportation training

By Camie Young
Senior Writer

LAWRENCEVILLE – Gwinnett deputies will leave next week for training on beginning deportation proceedings of illegal immigrants, after commissioners approved an agreement with the federal government Tuesday.

“We have such a large population of illegal aliens from countries around the world living here,” Sheriff Butch Conway said in a statement. “Now, we will have an avenue when someone is arrested to check their immigration status and place a hold on them for deportation if they are not here legally.”

The 287(g) program is expected to cost about $971,800 in 2009.

Tracy Blagec, a leader with Atlantans Building Leadership for Empowerment, said she was disappointed by the decision. She said she is concerned that the program will exacerbate an already existing racial profiling problem in the county.

“I think the community is going to be very disappointed,” she said, adding that the financially struggling government could afford the program. “It bodes very poorly for Gwinnett.”

Blagec said her group would continue to lobby federal officials to try to halt the Immigration and Customs Enforcement program.

Chairman Charles Bannister said he was glad to see the much-debated and locally popular program move forward.

“It’s what everybody thinks we ought to be doing,” he said, adding that he was also concerned about the costs.