Thread: Cobb County to join federal program on illegal immigrants

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/15843726.htm

Posted on Wed, Oct. 25, 2006

Cobb County to join federal program on illegal immigrants
Associated Press

MARIETTA, Ga. - The Cobb County Commission has approved a request by the sheriff to work more closely with federal officials to deport jailed illegal immigrants.

The move, which the commission unanimously endorsed Tuesday, means the sheriff's department will join a federal program that will provide quicker identification of illegal immigrants who are charged with a crime.

The county would be the first in Georgia to join the program. Only seven other agencies around the country have joined.

Under the program, local law enforcers are trained on how to handle illegal immigrants they encounter during routine duties, Cobb County Sheriff Neil Warren said.

"Our focus will continue to be on identifying, prosecuting and deporting illegal aliens who are in our country illegally and committing crimes," Warren said.

Since 1996, the federal government has offered immigration-enforcement training to police and sheriff's agencies, but relatively few officers have gone through the program. The first - about 30 members of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement - did not get trained until 2002.

Georgia has one of the fastest-growing illegal immigrant populations in the nation, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Office of Immigration Statistics. And Cobb County has been a magnet for illegal immigrants who found jobs in the building trades and service industry during the area's rapid growth.

County officials say they are frustrated with the lack of action from the federal government and are feeling pressure from residents to do something.

As commissioners were meeting Tuesday, a group of about 50 people - led by illegal immigration activist D.A. King - held a rally outside to call for tougher immigration enforcement.

Cobb County has taken other actions recently to crack down on illegal immigration.

On Monday, the county began using an improved system of checking the immigration status of new employees. And last week, county officials directed the county Community Development Block Grant program to check the immigration status of adults who receive services.

"We're proactively following the law," said Sam Olens, chairman of the Cobb County Board of Commissioners.

But some worry Cobb County may end up alienation immigrants.

Jerry Gonzalez, executive director of the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials, said the county's recent actions "send a chilling message" to Hispanics in the county.

Gonzalez also said the immigrant community will be wary of dealing with the Cobb County police and less likely to report crimes and suspicious activity.

Olens said Cobb County does not want to alienate immigrants, noting that the Atlanta Regional Commission recently awarded the county for its efforts to engage the Latino community.

"We want to embrace them," Olens said. "All we're doing is complying with the law."

Jerry Gonzalez, executive director of the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials, said the county's recent actions "send a chilling message" to Hispanics in the county.

Gonzalez also said the immigrant community will be wary of dealing with the Cobb County police and less likely to report crimes and suspicious activity.

Get off it Jerry! This dog doesn't hunt any more.

What this action does is "send a chilling message" to ILLEGAL ALIENS in the county.

The "immigrant community" won't be wary of dealing with police but the ILLEGAL ALIEN COMMUNITY will probably think twice before calling.

Let 'em go home and report crimes to police there.