End Sanctuary City Status in Athens, GA (Clarke County)
End Sanctuary City Status in Athens, GA (Clarke County)
The Issue
This petition is born out of a personal tragedy. A student from the University of Georgia, a beacon of our community, was tragically murdered on campus by an illegal immigrant. This incident has shaken us to our core and highlighted the urgent need for change.
Athens, GA currently holds the status of a sanctuary city. While this policy may have been implemented with good intentions, it has unfortunately created unintended consequences that we can no longer ignore. It's time to reevaluate this policy and consider its impact on public safety, regardless of political parties.
According to data from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), between 2011 and 2019, there were nearly 10 million arrests involving illegal immigrants in America. These arrests include charges for serious crimes such as murder and sexual assault (DOJ). While not all undocumented immigrants are criminals or dangerous individuals, these statistics show that there is indeed a risk associated with maintaining sanctuary city policies that prevent cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
In 2009, Georgia outlawed sanctuary cities in the state. An executive order in 2017 was issued to withhold funds from sanctuary jurisdictions, revive immigration enforcement partnerships with DHS, and reinstate “secure communities.”
These "sanctuary cities" do not honor ICE detainer requests regarding criminal aliens, endangering the public and threatening officer safety. Noncitizens make up approximately 13.9% of the U.S. population (2022) but account for 49% of federal criminal charges (2021). In 2019, Athens-Clarke County passed a resolution to support undocumented immigrants.
We believe in creating an inclusive community where everyone feels safe and secure. However, we also believe in upholding laws designed to protect us all. We urge our local government officials to revoke Athens' status as a sanctuary city.
Please sign this petition if you agree that it's time for change – let's prioritize safety while still promoting inclusivity within our beloved Athens community.
6,693
The Issue
This petition is born out of a personal tragedy. A student from the University of Georgia, a beacon of our community, was tragically murdered on campus by an illegal immigrant. This incident has shaken us to our core and highlighted the urgent need for change.
Athens, GA currently holds the status of a sanctuary city. While this policy may have been implemented with good intentions, it has unfortunately created unintended consequences that we can no longer ignore. It's time to reevaluate this policy and consider its impact on public safety, regardless of political parties.
According to data from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), between 2011 and 2019, there were nearly 10 million arrests involving illegal immigrants in America. These arrests include charges for serious crimes such as murder and sexual assault (DOJ). While not all undocumented immigrants are criminals or dangerous individuals, these statistics show that there is indeed a risk associated with maintaining sanctuary city policies that prevent cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
In 2009, Georgia outlawed sanctuary cities in the state. An executive order in 2017 was issued to withhold funds from sanctuary jurisdictions, revive immigration enforcement partnerships with DHS, and reinstate “secure communities.”
These "sanctuary cities" do not honor ICE detainer requests regarding criminal aliens, endangering the public and threatening officer safety. Noncitizens make up approximately 13.9% of the U.S. population (2022) but account for 49% of federal criminal charges (2021). In 2019, Athens-Clarke County passed a resolution to support undocumented immigrants.
We believe in creating an inclusive community where everyone feels safe and secure. However, we also believe in upholding laws designed to protect us all. We urge our local government officials to revoke Athens' status as a sanctuary city.
Please sign this petition if you agree that it's time for change – let's prioritize safety while still promoting inclusivity within our beloved Athens community.
6,693
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Petition created on February 24, 2024