Residents and Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman voiced differing perspectives on the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office’s participation in the federal 287(g) program during Tuesday’s Columbus City Council meeting.
The discussion centered around the Sheriff’s Office entering into a memorandum of agreement with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security under the 287(g) Task Force Model, which allows specially trained local law enforcement officers to perform certain immigration enforcement functions while working with federal authorities.
Several residents raised concerns about transparency, civil liberties and the potential impacts the agreement could have on immigrant communities, while Sheriff Greg Countryman defended the decision as an intelligence-gathering tool aimed at combating cartel activity and violent crime.
Ric Rivera, who identified himself as a District 8 resident, expressed opposition to the agreement and questioned what authority it grants local deputies. Rivera voiced concerns about immigration enforcement practices occurring nationwide and said residents deserve answers regarding how the program will be implemented locally…