ATHENS, Ga. — Athens-Clarke County Mayor Kelly Girtz on Wednesday morning defended a 2019 local government resolution that expressed support for the area's immigrant and undocumented community, saying its purpose was to "dignify everybody's humanity" amid a chaotic news conference addressing the death of Laken Riley.
Several protesters interjected during Girtz's remarks as he sought to clarify claims about Athens as a "sanctuary city."
The mayor has previously asserted in the days following the killing of Riley that Athens is not a sanctuary city under any statutory definition, as such a status is banned under Georgia law.
Georgia law states, "No local governing body, whether acting through its governing body or by an initiative, referendum, or any other process, shall enact, adopt, implement, or enforce any sanctuary policy."
It, however, never uses the term "sanctuary city."
The law goes on to explain “sanctuary policy," which means "any regulation, rule, policy, or practice adopted by a local governing body which prohibits or restricts local officials or employees from communicating or cooperating with federal officials or law enforcement officers with regard to reporting immigration status information while such local official or employee is acting within the scope of his or her official duties."
As Girtz stated, there were "no policies adopted by the mayor or (county) commission that created a sanctuary city status in Athens" and noted "many aspects ascribed to sanctuary cities are things that are disallowed by Georgia law," he was interrupted by protesters calling him a liar and demanding his resignation.
Some cities and counties can limit how closely their law enforcement authorities- police departments and sheriff's offices- work with federal authorities when a person is arrested or cited and is illegally in the U.S. But Athens-Clarke County Police Chief Jerry Saulters said at the news conference that it is his department's practice to notify federal authorities if they see a detainer is placed on someone who is arrested.
The mayor additionally distinguished between city law and police department practices and the practices of the sheriff's office, which operates the jail, and the district attorney's office, where there may be such limitations on working with federal immigration authorities.
The August 2019 Athens resolution, signed by Girtz, said the local government "is welcoming to people from all lands and backgrounds and strives to foster a community where individuals and families of all statuses feel safe, are able to prosper and can breathe free." It added that white nationalists and xenophobes "have been emboldened by some politicians and members of the media" and that "our immigrant and undocumented neighbors, especially those of Latinx heritage, face daily fears and threats from individuals and institutions such as ICE."
"I was a career educator, I've worked with a lot of students and their families in this community -- the practical reality is those families tend to be blended amongst a variety of immigration statuses," Girtz said of the 2019 resolution. "We want to create a stable environment for people in our communities -- when that community is disrupted by hate or vitriol, that's not a safe environment for the schoolchildren or their families to live in. That resolution speaks to that question."
As the mayor said this, a man shouted that it was "not vitriol, it's righteous indignation."
Full press conference replay available below
The Riley case has become a flashpoint in the debates on border security due to the accused killer's immigration status. Jose Ibarra, 26, was arrested and faces several charges in connection to Riley's death, including malice murder, false imprisonment and concealing the death of another.
According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Ibarra had been previously arrested for "unlawfully entering the United States" near El Paso, Texas, in September 2022. He was arrested and released and then sent to New York, where he was arrested once again nearly a year later but was released before a detainer could be issued by ICE.
It's believed he then relocated to Athens.
Ibarra made a first court appearance on Saturday, where he was not eligible for bond due to his murder charges.
Girtz also endorsed legislation that would standardize immigration procedures at the southern border, saying, "If our approach to immigration is thought to change day-to-day or month-to-month, desperate people fleeing war, famine, unstable governments and drug cartels will be willing to roll the dice to take a journey to the U.S."
A woman interjected at this point, saying, "Millions are coming. Some of them are bad."
Girtz countered that the Athens murder rate has been on a downward trajectory since 1992, as it has added about 1,000 people a year to the city's population. He added, "I caution against conflating immigration and crime -- the data demonstrates that the two are not connected."
The U.S. National Institute of Justice describes the research into immigration and crime as follows:
"The relationship between immigration and crime has been the subject of much debate and great concern for public officials. Although there are arguments that stringent immigration enforcement policies are needed to combat increased risk of crime by undocumented immigrants, recent research suggests that those who immigrate (legally or illegally) are not more likely, and may even be less likely to commit crime in the U.S."
More on Laken Riley's case
The UGA Police Department was called by a concerned friend around noon on Feb. 22 to report that Riley had gone for a run at the fields on UGA's campus but had not returned, according to authorities. That's when officers headed down, arriving around 12:38 p.m. to search for Riley. Not too long after, she was found dead.
According to officials, Riley was a UGA student through the Spring Semester 2023 before she transferred to the Augusta University College of Nursing program at Athens, where she was currently enrolled as a junior and on the Dean's List. An outpouring of condolences and statements from those who knew Riley described her as a beloved person in the community.
RELATED: Arrest warrants offer additional detail on charges faced by UGA nursing student's accused killer
The next day, Ibarra was arrested and charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call, and concealing the death of another person.
UGA Police Chief Jeffrey Clark said the evidence suggests this was a solo act and that Riley was killed from blunt force trauma.
Although a suspect has been arrested, police continue to investigate the details surrounding Riley's death. Anyone with pertinent information to the investigation is asked to call UGA Police.
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