Immigration Enforcement

ROAD TO REFORM

THE PLAN
My administration would fully oppose any sanctuary policies that prevent legally required cooperation with federal authorities or law mandates. I would comply with Georgia immigration law, including HB 1105 as amended, cooperate with federal immigration authorities, protect constitutional rights, and keep Hall County resources focused on public safety.

WHAT CHANGES FROM DAY ONE
The Hall County Jail will be the center of our immigration-enforcement strategy. When someone is lawfully arrested and booked into the Hall County Jail, they will be properly identified and screened as required by law. If federal authorities determine that an individual is unlawfully present and issue a lawful immigration detainer, the Sheriff’s Office will cooperate with ICE.

Hall County Deputies priority will be focused on violent crime, fentanyl and drug trafficking, human trafficking, burglary, theft, gangs, domestic violence, dangerous drivers, warrants, and fugitives. They will not focus on street level immigration enforcement. To that point, people will be arrested because there is lawful cause beyond reasonable doubt and not because of assumptions about where they were born or what language they speak.

To be clear, as Sheriff, I don't decide who is deported. That decision belongs solely to the federal government.

I would work with ICE and the appropriate Hall County officials to pursue an agreement to make up to 300 jail beds available for ICE detainees, provided the agreement meets applicable detention standards, protects necessary local jail capacity, and makes financial sense for Hall County taxpayers.

Under such an agreement, individuals placed in those beds would remain in federal immigration custody while awaiting immigration proceedings, transfer, release, or removal as determined by federal authorities.

THE STANDARD
My responsibility would be to operate a lawful jail, follow Georgia law, honor lawful detainers, protect constitutional rights, and cooperate with federal authorities.