Thread: GA: Chairman blasts feds over illegals

Chairman blasts feds over illegals

Tuesday, July 10, 2007 1:18 AM EDT

By Kelly Brooks

Marietta Daily Journal Staff Writer

MARIETTA - Cobb Commission Chairman Sam Olens on Monday blasted the federal government for its "ineptitude" in blocking action to crack down on illegal immigration.

Olens and Cobb's four commissioners are expected to discuss code amendments that address illegal immigration in the county during a 9 a.m. public hearing at today's commission meeting.

The chairman's comments came during a luncheon hosted by the nonpartisan Madison Forum, an organization that Chairman Michael Optiz leads that is open to those "interested in rational, thoughtful discussion regarding issues."


"We all know that until the federal government makes moves to secure the border, it's easier said than done," Olens said.

Olens said he could have chosen a less controversial topic, but he intentionally chose not to veer away from immigration.

For now, he said Cobb's early compliance with state Senate Bill 529 -Georgia's Immigration Compliance Act - and code changes that limit the number of unrelated individuals living in one home are part of the county's effort to "deal with the problem."

Cobb officials also will consider a code amendment that legally defines related individuals who can live under one roof and sets a maximum number.

In October 2006, Cobb commissioners endorsed Sheriff Neil Warren's application for deputies to participate in federal training for Section 287(g) of the 1996 Immigration and Nationality Act that permits local law enforcement to identify, process and detain immigration offenders.

The program, Olens said, is a step in the right direction, but still is not enough, as Immigrations and Customs Enforcement doesn't detain illegal immigrants until after they serve their sentences for crimes they are convicted of in the United States.

Olens said he is "not too thrilled" to pay to house illegal immigrants in Cobb's jail, which already is overcrowded and set for a multimillion dollar expansion.


But east Cobb illegal immigration activist D.A. King, who attended Monday's luncheon and last fall held a "peaceful and respectful" rally to call on commissioners to look into a federal pilot program for businesses to search employment eligibility of potential workers, said the program's great benefit is its deterrence factor.

"My frustration is that they don't go to ICE until after their sentence," Olens said in response, noting the commission did endorse 287(g).

"If an illegal immigrant is convicted of a crime, they should go to ICE the next day."

For now, Olens said, the sheriff's office and police department are spending an "awful lot of time on illegal immigration," instances of which have arisen through police checkpoints and the January-formed Quality-of-Life unit that teams two code enforcement officers with three police officers in statistically high-crime areas.

Olens said the vulnerability of illegal immigrants also has made them a target for crime.

"It's become a sport to go after Hispanics to rob from on the street," he said, noting a 29 percent reduction in residential burglaries but an increase in street robberies.

Olens also said a county initiative needs to further ensure that boards and authorities have a percentage of Hispanic participants reflective of the legal Hispanic immigrant population, something Cobb has previously done with African Americans.

"You do want your work force to be representative of your county," he said, noting that quotas would not be used.

Luncheon attendant Wayne Brown said only an estimated 30 percent of the Cobb Hispanic population, which totals about 40,000 of roughly 700,000 in the county, are legal residents and asked if illegals would be included in that representation.

"I'm talking legals," Olens said, noting an increase in county hires and appointments within the past couple of years. "We know we're close to that percent."

Olens said a particular need exists for bilingual public safety officers who can aid immigrants - legal or illegal - in emergencies.

"I need bilingual fireman," he said. "I need bilingual officers."

If a bilingual citizen becomes a police officer, "That's a real plus."

http://www.mdjonline.com/articles/2007/ ... 265299.txt

Nah........you don't need all these bilingual folks........you just need to get rid of all the illegals!

Cobb takes aim at boarding house codes

Wednesday, July 11, 2007 2:10 AM EDT

By Kelly Brooks

Marietta Daily Journal Staff Writer

MARIETTA - Cobb commissioners expect to tighten county codes by the end of the month to thwart boarding houses with too many residents and vehicles on the properties.

"There have been increasing problems in Cobb related to the numbers of persons staying permanently or for extended periods in dwelling units, Community Development Director Rob Hosack said.

"The presence of excessive persons and vehicles associated with (homes has) an adverse impact on surrounding neighborhoods and causes living conditions in the directly affected (homes) to be undesirable."


In addition to who and how many people can occupy a home or apartment, code changes include the number of square feet required per adult in a home and the number of vehicles that may be regularly parked outside.

Based on the agency's experience in code enforcement, Hosack added, officials found it "necessary and appropriate" that the definition of who can occupy a dwelling unit - one or more rooms that are arranged, designed or used as living quarters - be changed from four to two or fewer unrelated adults and their children or grandchildren.

The definition of related individuals allowed to live in a dwelling has been restricted to "one or more persons related by blood, legal adoption, or marriage," or those related within the fourth degree, which includes parents, children, foster children, grandparents, grandchildren, brothers and sisters.

Additional code amendments include a day laborer ordinance that would prohibit people from gathering on public property to sell their temporary labor.

Carol Brown, a homeowner representative on the Cobb Board of Ethics and chairwoman of the Canton Road Neighbors Homeowners Association lauded the "wonderful amendments."

"I know that there are ongoing concerns with the number of cars parked overnight at a residence and I think that these code amendments will really help address the problem," she said.


http://www.mdjonline.com/articles/2007/ ... 265398.txt

This is long overdue. Have property values dropped significantly since this invasion?