Legislation that would allow members of law enforcement to arrest individuals suspected of being in the United States illegally is drawing mixed reviews from sheriffs in Georgia.
House Bill 1105, sponsored by state Representative Jesse Petrea last year, prior to the killing of 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley, is making its way through the Georgia Senate. Riley, a student at the Augusta University College, was found dead near the campus of the University of Georgia in Athens (UGA) and was allegedly killed by 26-year-old Jose Antonio Ibarra, a 26-year-old Venezuelan national arrested and charged in connection with her death.
If enacted, the bill would put more burden on statewide sheriff departments to verify suspects' immigration status, honor requests for detainment, and require jailers to provide quarterly reports regarding foreign-born inmates. It would also prevent the state from becoming a "sanctuary" refuge for illegal migrants.
Petrea, a Republican, introduced the legislation months before Riley's death last month but said that her killing has provided impetus for lawmakers to move forward in a proactive manner. He has referred to it as "the No. 1 issue" he hears from his constituents.
The bill passed in the House with overwhelming Republican support, by a 97-93 vote.
"This bill was drafted last year, introduced in January, and heard twice before the horrible and very avoidable murder of Laken Riley," Petrea wrote on Facebook, calling it the most important legislation of the current session. "Every Democrat in the House voted against this measure but it is passed and now in the Senate. Please share to educate on this common-sense public safety measure."
Newsweek reached out to Petrea via email for comment.
"This legislation is typical of a contemporary trend in which state legislatures will often attempt to enact policies in support of partisan goals," Carl Cavalli, a professor of political science at the University of North Georgia, told Newsweek. "That's more true now than in the past as there are very few state legislatures with partisan splits. Georgia is one of those states. Both houses of the state legislature are solidly Republican."
While some sheriffs find the legislation proactive considering Riley's death and general disorder at the southern border, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC), others expressed consternation at the thought of enforcing laws normally enforced by federal authorities.
Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills said he has trepidation about adding further requirements to officers' work dockets, including the required compilation reporting the number of inmates booked, inquiries made about suspects to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, responses received for requests, and the number of immigration detainers issued by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
"We are constantly having laws passed that put onerous, ancillary duties on us because of [other counties] that won't comply with the law," said Sills, adding that illegal migrants who provide fake names and IDs will further muddy the waters. "Every minute we are tasked with a bureaucratic reporting process is only going to take away from our ability to protect the public on the street."
Forsyth County Sheriff Ron Freeman told the AJC that sheriffs "took an oath to follow the law," calling it a "disservice to citizens" when law enforcement doesn't honor ICE detainers.
Cobb County Sheriff Craig Owens seemed to toss blame toward lawmakers who have not been able to find enough common ground on immigration and border security, adding that he and other sheriffs were not conferred when bills like 1105 were being drafted.
"Backing the blue means including us," Owens said.
Baldwin County Sheriff Bill Massee was more diplomatic.
"We try to be proactive and stay in compliance especially for something as serious as immigration," he said.
Newsweek reached out via email to multiple sheriffs' offices in Georgia for comment.
Update 03/21/24, 10:54 a.m. ET: This story was updated with comment from Carl Cavalli.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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