From the Cobb County, Georgia Sheriff’s office:
COBB COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE PRESS RELEASE Re; 287 (g)
October 13, 2009

Sheriff signs new Memorandum of Agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement

As a result of an audit conducted by the Government Accounting Office earlier this year, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced on July 10th that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) would be entering into new uniform agreements with state and local law enforcement agencies who participate in the 287(g) program. In today’s Commission meeting, Sheriff Neil Warren asked for the Board’s endorsement of his intention to sign the new Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). This updated agreement will allow the Sheriff’s Office to continue checking the immigration status of inmates booked into jail.

The Cobb County Sheriff’s Office was the first agency in Georgia to take advantage of the 287(g) program that allows local law enforcement agencies to enforce federal immigration statutes. Since the implementation of the 287(g) program in July 2007, the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office has identified over 6,600 inmates in jail custody who were in the United States illegally. According to Sheriff Warren, the program has been an effective tool to aid jail staff in accurately identifying foreign nationals coming into jail custody.

Once an offender is identified as being in the country illegally and local charges satisfied the individual is transferred to ICE custody. “As I have said many times, immigration is a federal issue “stated Warren. “However, when illegal aliens come into our community and commit a crime, it becomes a local issue.” “Our partnership with the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been a resounding success and I am proud to continue this association.

Warren stated that later this month four additional deputies from Cobb will join deputies from Gwinnett County in a training program to become certified as ICE agents.” Sheriff Warren welcomes the addition of surrounding Sheriff’s offices who are taking advantage of the opportunities this program offers for improving safety in their communities.

The new MOA provides both a uniform national agreement and clarifies expectations for the program. Based on the way the program is implemented in Cobb, the Sheriff’s Office anticipates nominal change to its current operation. Although the 287(g) program in general has been criticized as “profiling”, that simply is not the case in Cobb County. Pursuant to the provisions of the Vienna Convention, all foreign nationals must be identified upon coming into custody and in many instances, their embassy notified. The use of ICE resources facilitates this identification and has the side benefit of putting ICE on notice when the individual is determined to be in the United States illegally. The decision as to whether the individual is ultimately deported rests solely with federal immigration authorities.

# # #