Atlanta, Georgia – A congressman from Georgia is asking federal immigration officials to do more to enforce the law in metro Atlanta. He says that rising concerns about illegal immigration and public safety call for a bigger federal presence. In a letter to the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Congressman Buddy Carter asked the agencies to get more money and expand operations in the region.
Carter praised federal leaders in his letter for keeping the southern border safe, which he said had been safe for a long time. He pointed to data that say illegal crossings are at their lowest level in 50 years. Still, he said that Georgia has its own problems, pointing to estimates that hundreds of thousands of people without papers live in the state currently. The letter says the number shows significant growth during 2018 and highlights the state’s ongoing struggle to keep up with incoming populations.
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The congressman said that the matter was both lawful and safe, and that everyone in the country who is not authorized should be treated according to federal law. Carter said that inconsistent enforcement might create a situation where more violations happen, which would put communities at risk. He also used recent high-profile arrests of people who were in the country illegally as instances of the problems he thinks tighter enforcement may help avoid.
One case was about catching a man from Mexico who was wanted for murder and serious assault in Clayton County. In another case mentioned in the letter, a guy from Honduras who was living in the US illegally is alleged to have killed a mother of five in Atlanta earlier this year. The congressman said that examples like this highlight why local police departments need additional help from the federal government to catch criminals who could otherwise get away with it.
Carter stated that people all around metro Atlanta are putting more and more pressure on leaders to do something. The letter says that ICE should get more involved so that state and local police can find dangerous people, break up criminal networks, and prevent more harm from happening. He said that further involvement from the federal government will not only strengthen current activities, but also help communities that feel threatened to trust one other again.
The congressman ended by saying that Atlanta and other Georgia communities would benefit greatly from having more federal law enforcement officers on the ground. He said that the extra resources would make the public safer, make immigration laws stronger, and help make sure that criminals are brought to justice. He said he would be happy to engage with federal officials in the future, saying that keeping Georgia families safe must always be a top priority.
