Pros, cons of immigration enforcement heard at forum
By PATRICK FOX

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Feelings were mixed when about 30 people turned out in Lawrenceville Tuesday night to talk about Gwinnett County’s implementation of a federal program aimed at illegal immigrants.

Opponents pointed to a lack of direction in the enforcement in the program called 287(g), which is named for a section of the federal immigration law. It allows state and local enforcement to investigate, detain and arrest illegal immigrants on civil and criminal grounds.

People opposed to the program said it has fractured families and caused the legal system to concentrate on minor offenders. The federal act, they argued, was intended to focus on terrorists and violent illegal immigrants but has become a tool to cut a broad swath through a community of mostly law-abiding citizens.

“These are honest people,â€