Thread: Gwinnett County man faces deportation following fence violation

Gwinnett County man faces deportation following fence violation

Updated: Apr 06, 2012 4:36 PM PDT
By Mike Paluska - email

NORCROSS, GA (CBS ATLANTA) -
A Gwinnett County man admits he was in violation of a county ordinance, but never expected it would land him in jail for 4 days, and possibly something else.

Andrew Valle is from Guatemala and said he has been living in the country illegally for 7 years.

"A police officer came and knocked on the door," said Valle. "He told me that I had to fix it, and I said, 'I just need a little more time. I am going to fix it."

According to police, it was the second time Valle was warned. At that point, Cpl. Ed Ritter with Gwinnett police said the officer decided to issue a citation. When the officer went to write the ticket, Valle had no valid form of identification.

"If the officer can't verify this person with an ID verifying who this person is, then eventually, what is going to end up happening; they have to go to jail to post a bond," said Ritter.

The problem is that Valle went to the Gwinnett County Jail. They participate in a federal program called 287- G. That program gives the sheriff's office authority to check immigration status. In this case he was placed on an immigration hold through Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Valle said he felt as though police should never have asked him for his identification over a fence he was in the process of fixing.

"Honestly, what I didn't like is the officer started to ask me about my immigration status. Things that don't matter to him," said Valle. "It is ICE's job. But, he was asking if I was legal or illegal."

Gwinnett police said they treated Valle just like anyone else who doesn't have a valid form of ID.

"We don't target anyone based on race, religion, or anything like that," said Ritter. "If they are violating the law we will be there to talk to them about it regardless of who they are."

Valle said he is waiting to hear back from ICE about whether he could be deported.

Gwinnett County man faces deportation following fence violation - CBS Atlanta 46