In response to Monday's MDJ article "Immigrants to Sheriff: Stop violating our rights," there are several issues addressed by Elise Shore of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund that need to be clarified.
More importantly, I am weary of my comments being misconstrued by organizations that oppose my implementation of the 287 (g) program and our partnership with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
As I have said time and time again, as sheriff, it is my constitutional responsibility to uphold the laws of this state and protect the citizens of this community. I will continue to use this program as a law enforcement tool to keep criminals off the streets and in jail.
In July, we initiated the 287(g) program as a tool for identifying illegal immigrants charged with committing crimes in our community. To have Ms. Shore state that "Cobb Sheriff officials are violating the civil rights of the county's Latino residents" is simply not true. To my knowledge, there is no record anywhere that the Sheriff's Office, ICE or any other law enforcement agency in this county has violated anyone's civil rights. If I find out otherwise, I will take immediate action and resolve the issues brought to my attention. However, as with any new program, there is a learning process and Sheriff's employees, along with ICE agents, are working diligently to ensure that all policy and procedures within the Memorandum of Agreement are being followed correctly.
The article further mentions that MALDEF has written me insisting that the "county create a committee to monitor potential rights violations caused by its immigration enforcement procedures." According to the Memorandum, "the ICE Special Agent in Charge and/or the ICE Field Office Director in Atlanta and the Cobb County sheriff shall establish a steering committee that will meet periodically to review and assess the immigration enforcement activities conducted by the participating Law Enforcement Agency personnel and to ensure compliance with the terms of this MOA."
Over the past several months, I have met with the ICE Special Agent in Charge and we have discussed the implementation of the Steering Committee and other aspects of this developing program in Cobb. My intent is that ICE Agents and Sheriff's Office command staff will fulfill this responsibility.
In reference to Ms. Shore's statement that "It's mean-spirited enforcement of the law … the sheriff of Cobb County is more interested in getting moms and dads on their way to work than enforcing other laws," I would like to say that I personally find her comments offensive, not only to myself, but to all Sheriff's Office employees and to other law enforcement officers in Cobb. There are no enforcement efforts in this community that are actively targeting or rounding up illegal immigrants for deportation.
I have said it before and I will say it again: the Sheriff's Office is focused on individuals who have been arrested and charged with criminal offenses. If they are found to be in our country illegally, then it will be up to ICE as to whether they should be deported once their local charges are completed.
Ms. Shore further states that she has received complaints that "Latinos have said that they've been arrested because of minor traffic violations such as driving without a tail-light or turn signal."
Driving is a privilege, not a civil right. Prior to receiving a Georgia driver's license, one must pass a test demonstrating that he or she understands the laws of this state. As far as I am concerned, whether in the country legally or illegally, it is a violation of Georgia law to operate a motor vehicle without a valid driver's license, license tag or proof of insurance. Operating a 4,000-pound vehicle is a tremendous responsibility and the driver has an obligation to ensure that the vehicle is in good working condition such as working taillights, brakes, etc. Ms. Shore may consider some traffic violations minor, but in my 30 years as a law enforcement officer, I have seen too many traffic violations that have resulted in homicides.
In 2004, the citizens of this county elected me sheriff and it is has been an honor and a privilege to serve in this capacity. The responsibility of providing the best law enforcement services to the community is one I take seriously. The implementation of the 287(g) at the County Jail has provided me with a critical tool to identify illegal immigrants who have committed crimes and remove them from our streets. The cooperation and communication among the various law enforcement agencies in Cobb is outstanding and second to none in the state.
We will all continue to work together with all the tools, creativity and expertise at our disposal to combat the criminal element in our community. Our citizens deserve no less.
Neil Warren
Sheriff, Cobb County
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Posted Comments
Thank-you Sheriff Warren, for being a true hero! I believe that the criminal illegals in Cobb County are & should be feeling the heat! It is time for the sheriffs of all metro- Atlanta's surrounding counties to stand shoulder to shoulder w/ Sheriff Warren, engage w/ the dept. of homeland security & enter into a MOU (memorandum of understanding) w/ ICE to have deputies trained on immigration law & obtain the necessary tools to protect it's legal citizens. Our borders are just as wide open as they were a year ago, so the illegals are still flooding into our country. I have a feeling their destination will no longer be Cobb County! Thank-you also to the MDJ for printing the Sheriff's letter!
Thank you Sheriff Warren. I think the "legal" citizens of Cobb County would vote for you again in a heartbeat!! You should be proud of the job you and your department are doing.
You are doing an outstanding job and I support you fully. Who is MS. Shore to demand a committee on any thing. I would like a committee to see if she is violating federal laws by aiding and abetting illegals, it sure sounds like they call her the minute they get in trouble. As far as I am concerned she can leave the USA anytime and take her precious illegals with her. Good riddance.
Thank God for leaders like Neil Warren. Like Cuba in the 70's, Mexico and other Central American countries are emptying their jails and sending these people North to the US. Has anyone checked out Cobb Superior Court web site lately ?
Hooray for Neil Warren! MALDEF is as wrong as he is right.
Thank you, Neil Warren. You probably don't even know how proud of you our citizens are! I hold you up as the BEST possible example of someone who does his job and upholds our laws and defends our Americans from the hoards of illegals and the politicians that are responsible for the continued deterioration of our Country.
Sheriff Warren: your actions need no explanation to those of us interested in the rule of law being applied equally to all. Keep up the good work.
Way to go Sheriff Neil Warren. I do not live in Cobb county but an adjoining county. The way I see it is if you are in this country illegally you do not have any rights. We certainly would not have any if we were in Mexico or other Latin country illegally trying to work and live.
As a resident of a "Sanctuary City" I can tell you I am ashamed that our elected officials have not chosen to enforce the federal and state laws concerning immigration. Citizens are fed up with non-resident illegal aliens claiming they have "Rights" , the only rights they have should be a free trip back to their own country where they should remain.
Ms. Shore of MALDEF has one agenda, and one agenda only: Stop, impede, block, stall ANY enforcement of our nation's immigration laws by any means that she thinks will do the job! Nothing is off-limits: labeling, name-calling, invective, screaming bloody murder, using the ACLU, etc. If you ask her if any illegal alien should ever be deported, it would be interesting to see her response - the stalling, the equivocating, the reverse psychology tactics would be amusing if they would not be so pathetically transparent. Way to go Sheriff Warren. You are doing a wonderful job in lawfully upholding the law, observng protocall and principle to accomplish your job in a proper and professional manner. Thank you. May your tribe increase!
Amen to the Sheriff! We need to start investigating MALDEF. Why do we give any credence to organizations that only represent the interests of foreign nationals, including illegal aliens, instead of the interests of American citizens. How dare they demand to be on our committees when they don't seem to grasp what ILLEGAL means. Lets start boycotting all of the businesses who support this most racist and radical organization.
Thank you, Sheriff Warren. I think most people, aware of organizations such as MALDEF, know that their only concern is aiding and abetting those that have shown a total disregard of our laws, our borders, and our nation. MALDEF always plays a very groundless and transparent "race card" at every iota of law enforcement which affects illegal aliens. If MALDEF is so concerned about illegal aliens being mistreated then they should do everything in their power to encourage illegal aliens to leave. Instead of making excuses for why they should be allowed to stay and not arrested for violating our laws, why not point them back home?
I wish our sheriff here in Hart County Georgia would do what Sheriff Warren is doing for Cobb County. Sheriff Warren, you are a great American ! God Bless You ! !
I'm with the sheriff! Illegal aliens are breaking our laws by being in the USA. They are thumbing their noses at us by driving without licenses, tags, or insurance. They have no respect for our laws. Many legal citizens have been killed due to their disregard of our laws.
It's not up to ICE to Guard your Citizens it's to the Sheriff and since when do ILLEGAL ALIENS have any rights in the USA? Keep our Employers free from ILLEGALS ! Pursue all ILLEGALS not just Criminals as the all have Broken our Laws.... God Save Our Country..
The Sheriff of Cobb County is to be commended for the wonderful job he is doing to keep the county, state and country safe. Keep up the good work.
Too bad the other 158 Sheriffs in Georgia do not follow the example set by Sheriff Warren.
As an American of Hispanci heritage whose parents immigrated here legally (and NOT from MEXICO) I too am weary of MALDEF, and LA RAZA. First, because they are ethno-supremacist organizations operating with huge budgets including millions of taxpayer dollars....and all to promote the special ethno-centric interests of Mexicans and illegal aliens from Mexico while purporting to stand for the "civil rights" of Hispanics in this country. These seditious, xenophobic institutions and their radical, leftist agenda do not represent the views of all Americans of Hispanic heritage and they know that. These organizations do not tolerate any Hispanic American who dares to speak out and have a differing opinion. Americans of all backgrounds have had enough of MALDEF, LA RAZA and LULAC and their 500 affiliates. It's time that responsible elected officials, school administrators, and policy makers stop pandering to the ethno-supremaicist interests of these groups and the interests of illegal aliens that they represent and place the safety, health and welfare of law-abiding American citizens and legal residents first and foremost. It's time to stop ANY government funding of any of these groups. Beware of any charitable donations you make to other-wise benign organizations, they may be making special grants to these groups. It's time to say NO MAS to La RAZA, MALDEF, LULAC and the like.
Sheriff Warren, It was my honor and privelege to vote for you and will do so again. You have properly fulfilled your duties to protect and serve the citizens and taxpayers of Cobb County and we thank you for your foresightedness to send your deputies for 287(g) training. It is a shame that other departments are not providing this protection, as we have to drive through other towns and counties to commute. Elise Shore needs to complain to Mexico for being mean spirited in denying basic human rights to their people.
A great response, from a very responsible law enforcement professional!
I applaud the efforts of Sheriff Warren and his dedicated staff. While some may not feel that this issue is worthy of the attention of our law enforcement personel, many of us disagree. Thank you Sheriff Warren for repeatedly taking the hot seat with grace and unwavering dedication to enforcing the law.
I am a legal law abiding citizen. I have lived in Georgia all my life and most of my family before me. I have been stopped for broken taillight, taglight and have been stopped at road blocks to see that I have a valid license, registration, insurance information. I find this neither offensive nor bothersome. If I don't have a reason to fear the police doing their job, then why should I care if they stop me. I don't have to be scared of being arrested because I obey the law. If you are here illegally, then go home and come back legally, just like you should do..We are a nation of laws..If you don't like being a law abiding Citzen GO HOME.
Great job Sheriff Warren ! However, this citizen does not want to stop with these simply common sense measures. I do want to see all local law enforcement along with federal authorities doing round ups of illegal aliens for deportation. We all know now where the vast majority of illegal aliens are working. Simple! Surround the facility and do the round up. Also, these employers of illegal aliens need to go to prison for long prison terms. The damage they have inflicted to our local economies and to our local Legal residents is disgusting and criminal. Anyone caught assisting illegal aliens should likewise face the full penalty of the law. It is high time that citizens of our nation ban together and start impeaching State Rep's, Congressmen, Senators, Sheriff's, Mayor's, chruch's and yes even Presidents that blatantly ignore or refuse to enforce our nations laws. Lets get it done America.
Hurrrrawwwww!!!! Sheriff!!! You are performing your job in accordance with the laws of this great Nation!! Illegals are a serious issue in our country...not immigration. My husband & I did not serve our country to return home and press "1" for Spanish and illegals receiving benefits that injuried, unemployed soldiers cannot receive. Upon my return from Global War On Terrorism, injured, unemployed w/child, I was not eligible for food stamps etc. but the hispanics w/4 kids & one in the bellie were lined up & receiving benefits, in which, I was not eligible for!!!! Also, seeing illegals w/WIC coupons at Krogers purchased items with coupons under their married name and maiden name, while the husband loads the items into the cart is disgusting. Keep enforcing the laws you were elected to protect the citizens!!!! God Bless!!!
Thank God for Sherrif Warren! Why hasn't the State of Georgia mandated that ALL of its law enforcement agencies follow in the Cobb County's footsteps?
Bravo, Sheriff Warren! You are a true patriot upholding our laws in a reasonable manner. Thank you for standing up against delusional taunts of discrimination and protecting America. Our country needs more lawmen with backbones like you.
Congratulations, Cobb County! You have a sheriff who actually cares about the citizens he was elected to protect. From his letter, he sounds like he also has a good grasp of Right and Wrong. That seems to be hard to find nowadays. He's a Keeper!
Excellent. How does Ms. Shore get away with slandering our Sheriff. Can just anything be printed? There should be just a little verification (interview with Sheriff) BEFORE MDJ just prints someone's "opinion".
I don't understand why you want to be so hard on these "Honest, Hard Working, Misguided People" They only want to commit a rape or two now and then between the homicides and roberies ocasionally. After all, they need some kind of recreation.
You are ONE in a thousand that has good common SENSE and I really appreciate all you are doing for this nation. A country without borders is NOT a country and we need the borders closed and the drug cartel banished. I am thinking someone in government MUST be PROFITING off the drug cartels or we COULD stop them IF they really WANTED to. IF the US can go around the WORLD to fight a battle, they can SURELY protect our OWN borders. Keep doing that wonderful JOB you are doing and maybe some in DC will wake up and start fighting for this nation.
The Sheriff's Department should be commended for its courteous treatment of family and friends wishing to see inmates and post their bond. A great difficulty arises however, when bond is ready for the inmate's misdemeanor offense but a hold remains for the federal immigration court (because the jail has reported the inmate as undocumented). This hold can last for weeks and months and prevents the inmate from posting bond and going back to supporting his wife and children. This jail's immigration hold policy for traffic and misdemeanor offenses is creating great hardship for families and for children that are US citizens. The policy should be suspended until a work release option is made available for inmates subject to the federal hold.
Sheriff Neil Warren is doing exactly what the CITIZENS have placed him in this position to do, enforce the laws and protect this community from the invasion and occupation of people entering this country illegally, who by the way are NOT "IMMIGRANTS." Ridding our communities of illegal aliens is in no way "anti-immigrant" as some would like to say only to try and cloud the issue at hand. Immigrants come in all shapes, sizes and colors and are here because they asked for permission to enter our country and our government gave them that permission. The reason organizations such as MALDEF, LULAC and the NCLR get involved so deeply in this immigration issue is because they know that the MAJORITY of people who are disrespecting the immigration laws and FRAUD laws, (remember "FRAUD?" it used to be against the law here) of the USA are from Mexico and other Latino culture countries, so they try to push the "race card" into Americans's faces to provoke a "guilty of racism" smoke screen to cover the fact that these are illegal aliens from south of our border invading the USA in hordes and the American people want it stopped...NOW!
MALDEF is like LaRaza, LULAC and the ACLU are all the same. they are against the American people and are for open borders. these groups dont care about the rule of law and as long as there is a hispanic involved, they never will. Its groups like these that the American taxpayer needs to stop funding and let them raies money from the people who support them. I applaud the Sheriff and any one else in law enforcement who does ANYTHING to apprehend illegal immigrants.... NO MATTER WHAT COUNTRY THEY ARE FROM. Keep up the great work sheriff
Please come and be our Sheriff in Las Vegas. We are over run with illegals here
Great Job Sherrif Warren!!!! Thank you for enforcing our laws!!!
If you people in Atlanta and indeed, all of Georgia don't get behind law enforcement, the same thing will happen to you that has happened to California. In California an illegal alien has more rights than any citizen. If you don't knwo this you are politically ignorant and will pay with the consequences.
It gets very tiresome explaining the meaning of the word "ILLEGAL" to all of these knuckleheads!! This is not Mexico!! We have laws and people whose job it is to enforce those laws. Bribery won't work here; crying about the rights you don't have won't work here. Thankfully with this sheriff, PC gets you a quick trip back where you came from courtesy of I.C.E. Stay home. get a job in Mexico. Start a revolution down there. Send us a postcard. ADIOS
Many thanks and much appreciation to Sheriff Warren and his deputies for the OUTSTANDING job they have done and continue to do for Cobb Citizens. I, for one, am quite aware of the sacrifices made and risks endured by you and your staff in performing your duties and am very grateful to you all. It was my distinct pleasure to vote for you in 2004 and I and my family look forward to doing so again at the next opportunity. The way I see it, if the criminals are complaining, then you must be doing your job.
Thank you sheriff! Illegal immigration is worse than any weapon of mass destruction. Illegal aliens have no rights and should be rounded up and dispatched, all 30-38 million of them. The needs of American citizens come first no matter what the consequence to people that knowingly came here illegally, not with the intent to work, rather to rape our social services. Please keep up the good work!
Good for you Sheriff Warren. Keep on doing what you're doing. I voted for you and I'll vote for you again when the time comes. Thanks for your service.
Oh! How I whis our sheriff was more like Sheriff Warren. He is a hero in my eyes. The law must apply to everyone in order to be equal. I see no reason to treat illegal aliens who have broken our laws any different from an american citizen who break the law. Good for Cobb County.
THANKS SHERIFF, YOU ARE A TRUE AMERICAN HERO. PLEASE KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK,
Well said, Let the truth be told, nothing more nothing less.
I understand civil rights for legal residents of the USA but what I don't understand is civil rights for illegals. They have broken the law by coming here illegally but yet they have rights?? I know for a fact that if you or I were illegally in Mexico we would have no rights. Please continue your efforts to keep Cobb County safe for all of us. Sue Waldrop, Marietta
I appriciate the work that this sherriff is doing. He is a true patriot and i hope his work spreads statewide as we are tired of footing the bill for illigals who want to take advantage of our rights. God Bless Him.
I wish we had a sheriff with guts. I think that this sheriff is a true patriot and we need more like him. OUr sheriff will be replaced in July 08. Keep up the good work Mr. Warren.
"THANK YOU" for doing an outstanding job. How great it is to see an elected offical doing what is correct. All illegals are breaking the law entering into our country. If they really want to become American CITIZENS then they should simulate into our cultural, speak english and pay taxes. Instead; they get false ID papers, send money back to their homeland. Yes, they love to come to America and receive FREE scholships, FREE HEALTH CARE, FREE HANDOUTS the list goes on and on and we the TAX PAPER are paying for these freebies. All employers who hire illegals should do Time plus a BIG, BIG fine for hiring illegals.
What rights are you talking about. If a person is in this country illegally, they have no rights. They are felons, and we have federal laws that say so, although our government has failed to enforce them. They should be arrested on site and DEPORTED..... They have stole their way into this country, they steal our benifits, they steal our jobs, and the list goes on. They commit a crime, like driving drunk, slamming into a car, killing a young boy, maiming his mother where she will never walk again and slipping back into Mexico where the law there protects them. Don't ever say Sheriff Warren is wrong. The rest of the sheriffs in Georgia need to follow suit. I have a news story to let you in on. The people of the USA are tired of these people raping this country and we are going to send them all back to where they came from.....