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Neil Warren/Letter to the Editor: Sheriff: No plans for roundup
Published: 11/25/2007

In response to Monday's MDJ article "Immigrants to Sheriff: Stop violating our rights," there are several issues addressed by Elise Shore of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund that need to be clarified.

More importantly, I am weary of my comments being misconstrued by organizations that oppose my implementation of the 287 (g) program and our partnership with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

As I have said time and time again, as sheriff, it is my constitutional responsibility to uphold the laws of this state and protect the citizens of this community. I will continue to use this program as a law enforcement tool to keep criminals off the streets and in jail.

In July, we initiated the 287(g) program as a tool for identifying illegal immigrants charged with committing crimes in our community. To have Ms. Shore state that "Cobb Sheriff officials are violating the civil rights of the county's Latino residents" is simply not true. To my knowledge, there is no record anywhere that the Sheriff's Office, ICE or any other law enforcement agency in this county has violated anyone's civil rights. If I find out otherwise, I will take immediate action and resolve the issues brought to my attention. However, as with any new program, there is a learning process and Sheriff's employees, along with ICE agents, are working diligently to ensure that all policy and procedures within the Memorandum of Agreement are being followed correctly.

The article further mentions that MALDEF has written me insisting that the "county create a committee to monitor potential rights violations caused by its immigration enforcement procedures." According to the Memorandum, "the ICE Special Agent in Charge and/or the ICE Field Office Director in Atlanta and the Cobb County sheriff shall establish a steering committee that will meet periodically to review and assess the immigration enforcement activities conducted by the participating Law Enforcement Agency personnel and to ensure compliance with the terms of this MOA."

Over the past several months, I have met with the ICE Special Agent in Charge and we have discussed the implementation of the Steering Committee and other aspects of this developing program in Cobb. My intent is that ICE Agents and Sheriff's Office command staff will fulfill this responsibility.

In reference to Ms. Shore's statement that "It's mean-spirited enforcement of the law … the sheriff of Cobb County is more interested in getting moms and dads on their way to work than enforcing other laws," I would like to say that I personally find her comments offensive, not only to myself, but to all Sheriff's Office employees and to other law enforcement officers in Cobb. There are no enforcement efforts in this community that are actively targeting or rounding up illegal immigrants for deportation.

I have said it before and I will say it again: the Sheriff's Office is focused on individuals who have been arrested and charged with criminal offenses. If they are found to be in our country illegally, then it will be up to ICE as to whether they should be deported once their local charges are completed.

Ms. Shore further states that she has received complaints that "Latinos have said that they've been arrested because of minor traffic violations such as driving without a tail-light or turn signal."

Driving is a privilege, not a civil right. Prior to receiving a Georgia driver's license, one must pass a test demonstrating that he or she understands the laws of this state. As far as I am concerned, whether in the country legally or illegally, it is a violation of Georgia law to operate a motor vehicle without a valid driver's license, license tag or proof of insurance. Operating a 4,000-pound vehicle is a tremendous responsibility and the driver has an obligation to ensure that the vehicle is in good working condition such as working taillights, brakes, etc. Ms. Shore may consider some traffic violations minor, but in my 30 years as a law enforcement officer, I have seen too many traffic violations that have resulted in homicides.

In 2004, the citizens of this county elected me sheriff and it is has been an honor and a privilege to serve in this capacity. The responsibility of providing the best law enforcement services to the community is one I take seriously. The implementation of the 287(g) at the County Jail has provided me with a critical tool to identify illegal immigrants who have committed crimes and remove them from our streets. The cooperation and communication among the various law enforcement agencies in Cobb is outstanding and second to none in the state.

We will all continue to work together with all the tools, creativity and expertise at our disposal to combat the criminal element in our community. Our citizens deserve no less.

Neil Warren

Sheriff, Cobb County