Funding shortfall may delay deportation of illegal immigrants
By Andria Simmons, Patrick Fox


Monday, July 13, 2009

Budget woes and bureaucratic red tape may delay the start of a controversial program to identify and deport illegal immigrants from the Gwinnett County jail.

The Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Department was among 11 agencies greenlighted last week to enter a partnership with the federal government. However, a shortage of funding could sideline the program championed by Sheriff Butch Conway and Commission Chairman Charles Bannister during the November election.

The program, called 287(g), trains deputies to screen inmates to determine their immigration status. Inmates who are in the country illegally are turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation.

The Sheriff’s Department estimates 18 deputies will be needed to staff the program. It was unclear Monday whether the county can afford to bankroll that many deputies due to its current budget crunch.

Bannister said Monday he was “still very much in favor of the program.â€