GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — The Gwinnett County Sheriff plans to renew an agreement with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the end of the month.
The 287(g) Program allows specially trained deputies to screen people for their immigration status once they are arrested and brought to the Gwinnett County Jail on criminal charges.
The Gwinnett County jail is one of several 287(g) facilities in Georgia.
"I am assigned to the 287(g) task force here at the sheriff's department. That is where we interview foreign-born individuals that are arrested and brought to this facility," explained Deputy Aaron of the sheriff's office.
The agreement allows a local or state law enforcement agency to partner with ICE. In Gwinnett County, that agency is the sheriff's office.
"That deputizes us to enforce immigration laws only within the jail. We are not authorized to arrest anyone outside of this facility," she said.
However, the immigration status of anyone booked is checked whether they're arrested on serious charges, such as murder, or a lesser charge, like driving without a license.
"If I went to someone else's country illegally, I wouldn't drive if they require a driver's license," Sheriff Butch Conway said.
That's one of the charges that led George Beikwaw here.
"I was using my friend's driver's license to drive, and when the police stop me and ask me, 'is this your driver's license?' And I said, 'it's mine,' I lied," Beikwaw said.
A national from Ghana, Beikwaw came to the U.S. legally in 2003 but overstayed his visa. Now, because he is in Gwinnett Jail, which is a 287(g) facility, he is under an immigration hold.
Just last month, human rights groups came together to urge Georgia counties to end the program. Opponents said the agreement causes mistrust between the community and local law enforcement.
"When people come forward, they have legal mechanisms to be protected by law enforcement, they are further victimized by the process in Gwinnett County," said Jerry Gonzalez, of the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials.
However, Sheriff Conway disagrees.
"I think the people in the Gwinnett community realize that if they are the victim of a crime, they can call the police and they aren't going to be questioned about their citizenship. They are going to be treated as a crime victim," he explained.
The sheriff's offices of Gwinnett, Cobb, Hall and Whitfield, as well as the Georgia Department of Corrections, plans to renew the controversial program.
There's no word yet from Bartow and Floyd counties.
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