“It may be historic in that it’s likely the first time a Cobb County sheriff has moved to protect drunk driving child rapists in our country illegally.”

So says Jon Ferre of Cobb’s Democrat Sheriff, Craig Owens. Ferre was Senior Advisor to the Director and later Chief of Staff at ICE under the Trump administration. Owens is well-known for inviting a mariachi band to play at a gala event in which he proudly announced he had ended the Cobb jail’s lifesaving 287(g) agreement with ICE shortly after taking office in 2021.

Signed into law by then President Bill Clinton, 287 (g) authorizes U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to delegate to state and local law enforcement officers the authority to perform limited, specified immigration officer functions under the agency’s direction and oversight. It is primarily used in jails and deals with illegal aliens already arrested for additional crimes.

As this writer observed when he was elected, Sheriff Craig Owens is a dangerous man. He is also defiantly arrogant. He has announced that he will not obey new state law on immigration enforcement.

Owens has pledged to ignore a clear mandate in HB 1105 (“The Georgia Criminal Alien Track and Report Act”) passed in the 2024 General Assembly. In part, it requires all sheriffs to apply for 287 (g) authority if they are not already authorized.

From the AJC: (“Whiplash in Gwinnett, Cobb as new law on immigration enforcement takes effect) “Owens says he was not going to apply for 287(g) again because he can’t spare the deputies to investigate  immigration cases or do the administrative work.” Sheriff Owens is depending on public ignorance on the reality of the ICE program. But even the AJC quotes Lena Gerber, a leftist activist at the “Immigrant Legal Resource Center” when she correctly points out that “…the agreements on their own don’t require deputies to go out of their way to investigate immigration cases.”

Ferre, the former ICE official agreed. “Asking a jailed individual a few questions about citizenship and alienage obviously doesn’t amount to an investigation.” Now at the Center for Immigration Studies in Washington D.C., Ferre produced required reading on Cobb’s Sheriff (Georgia Sheriff Misleads on 287(g) Program) in June.

I asked various pro-enforcement Georgians about Owens announcement.

“I believe that would be called a “protection racket” for illegals…” former Border Patrol Agent Robert Trent told me upon hearing of Owen’s latest illegal policy. Trent retired as Assistant Director, Enforcement Training, US Immigration Officer Academy at GLYNCO in Brunswick.

HB 1105 sponsor Rep Jesse Petrea (R-Savannah) weighed in on Owens defiance: “It was not surprising to see Sheriff Owens of Cobb County boldly state he would not follow state law. He has refused to follow the law before. This is why penalties for Sheriffs who refuse to follow the law were placed in the bill”

*  Related reading: Georgia law requires all jailers to report incarcerated illegal aliens to DHS – but it’s not enforced

Petrea told this writer he is determined to see compliance this time. We hope to hear the same from Gov. Brian Kemp and Attorney General Chris Carr.

Passage of HB 1105 was a direct response to preventable crimes committed by criminal  aliens and sheriffs who were ignoring 2006 and 2009 laws passed to require them to report illegal aliens to federal authorities. It is literally a law that says Georgia Sheriffs must obey the law.

Owens’ pro-enforcement opponent 

We asked Owens Republican opponent David Cavender about Owens objection to the 287 (g) program. “He can’t spare the deputies for immigration cases or the 287(g) administration paper work? He sure doesn’t mind sparing his deputies for bike units, horse units, traffic units, his and his executive staff’s personal drivers and his own Executive Protection team for his own safety. It seems Craig has plenty of resources to spare as long as it’s for his own agenda…” said Cavender.

A member of the SWAT team, Cavender is currently a Sergeant with the Cobb County Police Department and a 287(g) proponent. He has a long list of endorsements, including from former Cobb Sheriff Neil Warren and the Cobb Fraternal Order of Police. Warren instituted 287 (g) in 2007.

Pro-enforcement voters of all descriptions are flocking to Cavender. The Marietta Daily Journal noted that a large group of supporters turned out at the Marietta Country Club last week again to support Cavender. “There’s a lot of momentum behind the campaign and everything really seems to be going really well,” says Cavender. “It was quite humbling, really, to see that kind of crowd.”

Guests were also treated to an appearance from Dr. Alveda King, niece of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who gave a few words before leading the group in prayer” according to news reports.

 Pro-enforcement Cobb County voters have a chance to greatly improve public safety by voting Owens out of office. Both of the votes from our house will be to that end.

• A version of this essay was posted on the subscription website James Magazine Online on Sept. 9, 2024.

D.A. King is president of the Marietta-based Dustin Inman Society and proprietor of ImmigrationPoliticsGA.com

What is MALDEF?

Mario Obledo, founding member/former national director of Mexican-American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), former CA Secretary Health/Welfare on Tom Leikus radio talk show

“We’re going to take over all the political institutions in California. In five years the Hispanics are going to be the majority population of this state.” Caller: “You also made the statement that California is going to become a Hispanic state and if anyone doesn’t like it they should leave – did you say that?” Obledo: “I did. They ought to go back to Europe.” Here.

• The below is a quickly posted example of what Georgia’s Dual Enrollment program really does for illegal aliens.
• We note that GOP state Rep Steven Sainz told us in January he would work to pass a bill to reform this program but didn’t drop it until long after it had any possibility to pass in the 2024 session. It was HB 1509 – introduced on *March 21, 2024. The session ended on March 29, 2024. (*typo on date corrected on this line.)
• Any reform should require Dual Enrollment applicants to be either U.S. citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents (green card holders). This will prevent the otherwise illegal aliens who have been improperly/illegally granted “parole” by the Biden administration to access the taxpayer-funded college classes.

Begin forwarded message:

From: Shane Apps <sapps@ccga.edu>

Subject: RE: Question on admissions and tuition, pls

Date: July 31, 2024 at 8:54:50 AM EDT

To: “D.A. King” <Dking*******>

Greetings!

Thank you for your interest in the College of Coastal Georgia!

My name is Shane Apps and I work with incoming local freshmen and dual enrollment applicants.

Based on current legislation, you are correct on both statements regarding dual enrollment and post-secondary admission for undocumented students.

Please note that these policies are subject to change as we follow state of Georgia and University System of Georgia mandates.

Attached to this email is a flyer that goes over the admission requirements for dual enrollment applicants. (Note: See the flyer posted here – dak)

I look forward to working with you and your students throughout this process!

In Mariner Spirit,

image002.jpg>

To schedule a time to chat, please click here: Book time with Shane Apps

Have a great day and Go Mariners!

<image003.png>

CCGA Office of Admissions

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ccgaadmissions

<image005.png>

@ccgaadmissions

____

From: D.A. King <Dking*******>
Sent: Tuesday, July 30, 2024 12:57 PM
To: Scott Argo <sargo@ccga.edu>; Shane Apps <sapps@ccga.edu>; Linell Bailey <lbailey@ccga.edu>; CCGA Admissions <admissions@ccga.edu>
Subject: Question on admissions and tuition, pls

CAUTION: This email originated from outside the organization. Use caution replying or supplying information, clicking links or opening attachments. If you suspect the message is fraudulent, contact Technology Services at 912-279-5760 or support@ccga.edu.

College of Coastal Georgia

Dear sirs,

Upon our relocation to Glynn County next year, we are looking forward to admissions/class attendance to your college for our offspring – two of whom are high school students  We are citizens of Mexico and are undocumented.

We want to take advantage of the dual enrollment program. One child will be in grade 11 and the another in grade 12. They are also undocumented.

Please confirm that after they are enrolled in high school and demonstrate the required grade point score that they can take the college level classes in the dual enrollment program at no tuition cost? We understand that the state will also pay the cost of books and fees. We think it is accurate that after they graduate from high school, they will have to pay the out of state tuition at CCCG?

Our oldest child (who has graduated high school and is undocumented) is already living in Glynn County as of January, 2024. He wants to attend CCG as well starting in Jan. of 2025. Our understanding is that regardless of the fact that he will have lived in GA for more than a year, because he cannot present “proof of lawful presence” he will be charged the out of state tuition rate but can be admitted.

Put another way, we are trying to confirm:

* Dual enrollment students in Georgia high school pay zero tuition or books and fees for classes at College of Coastal Georgia regardless of immigration status. 

* Undocumented students who are already out of high school must pay the out of state tuition rate and for their books and normal fees at CCG.

Please confirm the above understanding is correct and accurate?

Thank you so much for your time. We look forward to your reply and any corrections to our understanding.

Our friend and neighbor helped us write this letter.

We trust the information here will be kept private.

Respectfully, ***** & ********