Columbia County took action Tuesday after an immigration research group labeled it a sanctuary jurisdiction.
The Center for Immigration Studies – an independent, non-partisan organization –included Columbia County on its list based on an internal ICE report. The June 2024 internal report, titled “Detainer Acceptance Tracker — Limited and Non-Cooperative Institutions,” highlights cities and counties that are reported as not fully cooperating with ICE.
Specifically, the report accuses Columbia County of failing to provide adequate notification to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for the orderly transfer of noncitizens to Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It says the county continues custody but does not provide adequate notification to always make transfer possible.
Columbia County Manager Scott Johnson addressed the issue Tuesday on WGAC’s The Austin Rhodes Show, discussing the county’s efforts to contest the label and defending its cooperation with ICE. The county later issued a statement clarifying their position: “Columbia County is not a sanctuary county, and we are following Georgia law. The County Attorney has been in contact with both the website and ICE to have us removed from the list.”
Maj. Steve Morris of the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office added that his agency notifies ICE in every case involving an illegal immigrant who has been arrested. If ICE requests a detainer, CCSO will hold the suspect for 48 hours after they have made bond. This policy, according to Maj. Morris, is in line with state law.
“They (ICE) have 48 hours to make arrangements,” Maj. Morris said.
The Center for Immigration Studies’ report includes 170 jurisdictions nationwide, with other Georgia locations such as Atlanta, Douglas, Clarke, and DeKalb counties also listed. Charleston County in South Carolina is similarly included as a non-cooperative jurisdiction.
The Center, which has tracked sanctuary jurisdictions since 2015, defines them as those with policies that prevent full cooperation with ICE regarding criminal aliens arrested for local crimes. The report highlights instances where individuals re-offended after being released by sanctuary jurisdictions.
In one example, a Honduran man arrested in Fairfax County, VA, for a child sex crime was released despite an ICE detainer. He was later arrested again for additional child sex crimes and released on bond. ICE eventually arrested him in Maryland.
Jurisdictions in six states with anti-sanctuary laws—South Carolina, Indiana, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, and North Carolina—were added to the list.
“This determination has been made by ICE, not by the Center,” said Jessica M. Vaughan, author of the Center’s report.
Founded in 1985, the Center for Immigration Studies is the only think tank dedicated solely to researching and analyzing the impacts of immigration on the U.S.
