Oiwinnett ornunty

iqeriff'll iepnrtment
2900 University Parkway
LaWTenceville. GA 30043
R.L. (Butch) ConwG)'. Shulff
(770) 619-6500 Fax (770) 822·3115

Man:h 3, 2008

Assistant Secrelary Julie Myers

U.S. Immigmtion and Customs Enforcement
425 I Street NW, Room 7100
Washington, D.C. 20536

Dear Assistant Secrelary Myers:

I am writing to request participation in the Delegation of Authority Program pursuant to 287(g)

of the Immigmtion and Natura1ization Act. This partnership will enable us to better serve and
meet the needs of the residents of Gwinnelt County, Georgia.

I have been in commWlication with your office in Atlanta. has been very
helpful and has explained the program AdInliiliiirat.". With his
advice, I am proposing the following:

• Train 18 Sheriff's Deputies dedicated to serve in the capacities as Identification Review

Officers, Investigators, and Supervisors. Each Deputy will be US citizens, have a
minimum of two years experience. have no pending disciplinary actions and can pass a
security background acceptable to ICE.
• Provide training facilities where instructors can utilize computer training aids, videos and
any other materials they may need in instruction.
• Provide adequate offices and secure work spaces in the jail for personnel dedicated to this
program.

This program will allow us to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding that will enable us to
participate with ICE in identifying crintinal aliens who pose a risk to the citizens ofGwinnelt
County. I look forward to your speedy endonement of this request and moving forward with this
program for the benefit of aU.

S~ ~
Sheriff R.L. Butch Conway
 Office of State and Local Coordination

u.s. Departme.t of Homelaad Security

425 I Street, NW
Washington, DC 20536

u.s. Immigration
and Customs
Enforcement
R. L. Butch Conway
Sheriff
Gwinnett County JUL - 1 2008
2900 University Parkway
Lawrenceville, Georgia 30043

Dear Sheriff Conway:

Thank you for your letter expressing interest in the 287(g) Delegation of Authority program
offered by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

As the largest investigative agency within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), ICE is
charged with protecting national security and ensuring public safety through the aggressive
enforcement of federal immigration and customs laws across the more than 3.5 million square
miles that make up our great nation. ICE recognizes, however, that we share the responsibility
of ensuring public safety with over 775,000 state and local law enforcement officers. One way
ICE addresses this joint goal is by building partnerships with state and local law enforcement
agencies (LEAs). To facilitate these partnerships and work more closely with our state and local
counterparts, ICE launched the comprehensive Agreements of Cooperation in Communities to
Enhance Safety and Security (ACCESS) program in 2007.

ICE ACCESS serves to provide state and local LEAs like yours an opportunity to partner with
ICE to specifically combat the immigration and customs enforcement challenges of their
communities. To accomplish this, ICE ACCESS offers an umbrella of services and programs to
assist local LEAs with interior enforcement issues. The 287(g) program that your letter
referenced is only one such component. Other programs that fall within the purview of ICE
ACCESS include: the Customs Cross-Designation (Title 19) Document and Benefit Fraud Task
Forces, the Law Enforcement Support Center (LESC), Operation Community Shield, the
Criminal Alien Program (CAP), Fugitive Operations, and Rapid Repatriation. Please find
enclosed a copy of the ICE ACCESS Fact Sheet for more information.

It is through strategic discussions and efforts such as these that strong partnerships between state
and local law enforcement agencies and ICE can be developed. Combining Federal, state, and
local resources has proven successful in safeguarding the public. I have requested that the local
ICE ACCESS liaisons work in coordination with you to determine which ICE ACCESS
programs will best meet our joint needs. Th~ of contact for ICE ACCESS are: in the
Office of Investigations, Group Supervisor _ at (404) in the Office of
Detention and Removal Operations, Assistant Field Office Director at (404) 925-
(b) ( _(C)

Sincerely,

1Utb/JL ()JI-
~ Sheriff (ret.) Jim Pendergraph
Executive Director
Office of State and Local Coordination
Enclosure

www.ice.gOY
 (wd Local Cool11i1l(IIiolf

u.s. De p~ rtm e nl of Homel:tnd Sec urit)'

500 12'h Streel SW
Washington D.C. 20024

u.s. Immigration
and Customs
Enforcement

MAY 0 fi 2009
MEMORANDUM FOR: John P. Torres
Acting Assistant Secretary

FROM: William F. Riley .~<)*

~Acting Executive Director, OSLC

SUBJECT: Support of Gwinnett County Sheriffs Department 287(g)

Request

Background

On March 8, 2008, SheriffR.L. Butch Conway submitted a letter of request for 287(g)
Delegation of Authority to then-Assistant Secretary Julie Myers on behalf of the Gwinnett
County Sheriffs Department (GCSD). Sheriff Conway requested 287(g) authority for
eighteen Sheriffs Deputies to operate under the jail model setting.

Discussion

On February 18,2009, Felicia S. Skinner, Field Office Director, Atlanta provided a

memorandum to James Hayes, Director, Detention and Removal Operations, concerning the
GCSD 287(g) request. After conducting a field survey with the GCSD, the FOD Atlanta
estimated that the GCSD encounters 400-500 illegal aliens per month. However, from January
12,2009, through February 6,2009, FOD Atlanta conducted a Crim inal Ali en Program (CAP)
surge operation at the Gwinnett County Detention Center. During this operation, over 800
undocumented criminal aliens were identified within the jail. The FOD Atlanta supports the
GCSD request for participation in the 287(g) Delegation of Authority program.

On April 15,2009, a meeting of the OSLC Advisory Committee was convened to discuss the
GCSD 287(g) request. Representatives from OSLC reviewed GCSD 's application and ORO ' s
recommendation and received input from HQ/DRO, HQ/OI , OCR, OPA, OPLA and SC. After
carefu l review and consideration, OSLC is in agreement with FOD Atlanta's support of
GCSD 's request to participate in the 287(g) Program. The FOD Atlanta is going to request two
over-hire positions as SDDOs to ensure that GCSD will have the appropriate amount of
oversight and supervision. This will be the fourth 287(g) jail model program in the state of
Georgia and the request is in line with ICE priorities.
SUBJECf: Support County Sheriff's Department
Page 2
Key Participants

Field
Felicia S. Skinner, Field Office Director, Office of Detention and Removal Operations,

Assistant Field Office Director, Office of Detention and Removal Operations,

R.L. Butch Conway, Sheriff, Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office, Lawrenceville, GA

~aptain. Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office, Lawrenceville, GA

Jeremy Mlsllller,
Richard Rocha, OPA
Rachel Canty, SC
Marc OPLA

Recommendation

appro,v.y of GCSD 's 287(g) request. Please indicate your decision below:

Disapprove _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ __

Modify--'.......' -_ _ _ _ _ __ Needs more discussion _ _ _ _ _ _ __