The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sheriffs concerned about role in enforcing immigration proposals
Georgia legislators are working on proposals targeting illegal immigration, but the state’s sheriffs say that could mean more demands on their offices.
Some of the proposals would require sheriffs to attempt to verify a suspect’s immigration status and honor requests for detainment so that federal officials can deport them.
If they fail to do so, they could face a misdemeanor charge and the loss of state and state-administered federal funding.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution contacted more than a dozen sheriffs across Georgia. Most of them said they already comply with federal requests to seek citizenship information about suspects and honor requests from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to hold them.
However, sheriffs said some of what lawmakers want is hard to accomplish. Sheriffs can’t enforce immigration law without federal authorization, which few have, and information on the immigration status of suspects may be limited.
Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills said he’s concerned about additional requirements these bills would add.
For example, under HB 1105 — a measure sponsored by Republican state Rep. Jesse Petrea of Savannah — jailers would be required to compile and post on their websites a report that includes the number of inmates booked, inquiries made about suspects to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, responses received for requests and the number of immigration detainers issued by ICE.
“Every minute we are tasked with a bureaucratic reporting process is only going to take away from our ability to protect the public on the street,” Sills said.