GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Some Gwinnett County teachers say students from immigrant families are staying home from school out of fear of ICE activity, and they’re asking Sheriff Keybo Taylor to pause cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
The Gwinnett County Association of Educators wrote an open letter to Taylor on Thursday, expressing concerns about how immigration enforcement is affecting students, Channel 2 Gwinnett County Bureau Chief Matt Johnson reports.
“We ask that the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Department pause its cooperation with ICE to review its impact on our schools and communities so that students, educators and staff can learn, work and live in safety and peace,” the letter states.
The educators say ICE activity is directly affecting classrooms.
“Seats are empty in classrooms across GCPS right now as families keep students at home in an attempt to keep them safe from ICE,” the letter states.
House Bill 1105 requires local law enforcement to coordinate with ICE when someone in custody may lack legal status. The law penalizes agencies that refuse to comply.
Taylor told Channel 2 in August his staff only works with ICE as much as the law requires.
“I’m not a fan of 1105, but whether I like the bill, dislike the bill, the bill got passed. My job now is to enforce the law,” Taylor said.
Guillermo Maduro-Vasquez, a teacher at Berkmar High School in Gwinnett County where over 70% of students are Hispanic, says the fear is real.
“Students are afraid just to go to bus stop in the mornings or in the afternoons, and the impact is mental and physical,” Maduro-Vasquez said.
Elise Shepherd, who works with younger Gwinnett students, says the fear shows up in her school every day.
“If kids are out and you ask them, were you sick? You kind of see them shut down and clam up. They’re not sure who they can trust and that’s a problem,” Shepherd said.
Both Shepherd and Maduro-Vasquez, who are both part of Gwinnett County Association of Educators, say the sheriff can help by educating families about their rights regardless of immigration status.
“We need to create a community to where people know what their legal rights are,” Shepherd said.
Channel 2 reached out to the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office for comment Friday morning but did not receive a response.
The Gwinnett County Association of Educators says they’re hoping to sit down with the sheriff for a more direct conversation.
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