Norcross, Georgia, July 19, 2018 — Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta (Advancing Justice - Atlanta), Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials (GALEO), and community leaders will hold a press conference to speak out against the wasteful 287(g) immigration enforcement program and demand that the Gwinnett County commission end their agreement.

This week, the Georgia Budget & Policy Institute released a report highlighting the costly choice of voluntary immigration enforcement in Georgia. “Honoring non-binding federal ICE detainers to arrest and hold a person cost Georgia’s local governments an estimated $88 million over the past decade, or an average of about $9 million a year statewide”, the report explains.

Gwinnett County in particular, spends at least $1.2 million a year to voluntarily support its aggressive enforcement of the federal 287 (g) program, while identifying more immigrants for detention than any other jurisdiction in the country.

"287(g) does not reflect the values for Gwinnett County. It is a system that is being abused by the Sheriff to racially profile against immigrant communities. The Gwinnett County Commissioners should not continue to support the Sheriff in this partnership,” said Jerry Gonzalez, Executive Director of the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials.

"Even though Gwinnett County prides itself on its diversity, our leaders continue to implement policies that criminalize immigrant communities. Until our leaders end the 287(g) program and other sweeping immigration enforcement practices, they are complicit in tearing apart families.” said Stephanie Cho, Executive Director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Atlanta.

WHAT:
Press conference against 287(g) immigration enforcement program

WHO:
Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta
Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials
Georgia Budget & Policy Institute
State Representative Brenda Lopez
Impacted community members

WHEN:
Friday July 20, 2018 at 10 a.m. (EST).
RSVP to James Woo at jwoo@advancingjustice-atlanta.org or call 404-585-8446.

WHERE:
The Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center
75 Langley Dr, Lawrenceville, GA 30046