ATLANTA — Gov. Brian Kemp announced the Georgia Department of Public Safety would be strengthening its partnership with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement through a new training program.
Kemp’s office said that DPS Commissioner Billy Hitchens has asked for all 1,100 state troopers and other sworn officers in the department be trained by ICE to “better assist in identifying and apprehending illegal aliens who pose a risk to public safety in the state.”
That means they’ll be participating in what’s called the 287(g) Program, which authorizes ICE to delegate some of its authority for immigration officer functions to state and local law enforcement via the federal Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act.
“If you are in our country illegally and committing crimes, you have no place in Georgia,” Kemp said in a statement. “This is another commonsense measure on top of those we’ve taken since I first took office to further enable hardworking law enforcement to assist in identifying and apprehending illegal aliens who pose a risk to public safety.”
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He also thanked the current White House administration of President Donald Trump for “recognizing the gravity of this issue and prioritizing keeping Americans safe by securing the border and cracking down on illegal immigration.”
The Georgia Department of Corrections is already a 287(g) participant, according to the governor’s office, through the Jail Enforcement Model. The agreement between ICE and the State of Georgia was renewed in 2019 and 2020.
Officials said that last week, ICE contacted the GDOC requesting two additional corrections officers to assist in the deportation of undocumented immigrants who have committed crimes as part of the current 287(g) agreement.
Right now, the department has a sergeant and three GDOC officers assigned to the program’s measures. The governor’s office said the state’s corrections department has about 1,730 “criminals on ICE detainers who have been taken off the streets” in their custody.
“We take the safety of Georgians and travelers to this state very seriously,” Hitchens said in a statement. “This training and collaboration between agencies increases our ability to keep our communities safe. Identifying those who pose a threat and who are not in our country legally through education and interagency communication allows us to serve our citizens to the best of our ability, which is ultimately our goal.”
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