Gwinnett County Sheriff Moves to Rejoin Federal 287(g) Immigration Enforcement Program

Gwinnett County Sheriff Keybo Taylor announced Wednesday that he is reapplying for the federal 287(g) immigration enforcement program, reversing his 2021 decision to withdraw from the controversial partnership that allows sheriff's deputies to identify and detain undocumented immigrants booked into the Gwinnett County Jail.

The announcement, made at a press conference at the Gwinnett County Justice and Administration Center in Lawrenceville, marks a significant reversal for Taylor, who campaigned on ending the program in 2020 and made withdrawal from 287(g) one of his first acts upon taking office in January 2021.

The 287(g) Program

The 287(g) program, named after the section of the Immigration and Nationality Act that authorizes it, allows U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to delegate immigration enforcement authority to state and local law enforcement agencies. Under the program, trained sheriff's deputies can interrogate individuals booked into the county jail about their immigration status, issue immigration detainers, and initiate removal proceedings for individuals determined to be in the country illegally.

The program has two models: the jail enforcement model, which operates within the county jail, and the task force model, which allows officers to enforce immigration laws in the field. Taylor is reapplying for the jail enforcement model only, which is considered less controversial than the task force approach.

Gwinnett County participated in the 287(g) program from 2009 to 2021. During that period, the program identified approximately 23,000 individuals in the country illegally who were booked into the Gwinnett County Jail, resulting in immigration detainers and, in many cases, deportation proceedings.

Sheriff Taylor's Reversal

Sheriff Taylor's decision to reapply for the program represents a stark reversal from his 2020 campaign, when he pledged to end 287(g) and argued that the program damaged community trust in law enforcement, particularly among Gwinnett's large immigrant community.

"When I ran for sheriff, I believed that 287(g) was undermining community policing," Taylor said. "I believed that immigrants were afraid to report crimes, cooperate with investigations, or call 911 because they feared that any contact with law enforcement could lead to deportation. That was a legitimate concern, and I don't regret taking it seriously."

But Taylor said that four years of data and experience have changed his perspective. "What I've seen since withdrawing from the program is that we've lost a critical tool for identifying and removing violent criminals who are in this country illegally. We've seen cases where individuals who should have been flagged for immigration holds were released back into the community and went on to commit additional crimes — including violent crimes. That's unacceptable."

Taylor cited three specific cases in the past 18 months where individuals in the country illegally were arrested for violent crimes in Gwinnett County, were not identified as deportable because the jail lacked 287(g) authority, and were released only to reoffend.

"In one case, an individual arrested for aggravated assault was released on bond, and three months later was arrested for murder," Taylor said. "If we had 287(g), that individual would have been flagged for an immigration detainer. He would have been held. And a life would have been saved. I can't look a victim's family in the eye and say I did everything I could if I'm not using every tool available to me."

A Heated Debate

The announcement has reignited a fierce debate in Gwinnett County, which has one of the largest immigrant populations in Georgia. Approximately 24% of Gwinnett's 970,000 residents are foreign-born, and an estimated 85,000 undocumented immigrants live in the county, according to the Migration Policy Institute.

Supporters of 287(g) argue that the program is essential for public safety, noting that it specifically targets individuals who have been arrested for crimes — not the general immigrant community.

"This is not about rounding up law-abiding immigrants," said Gwinnett County Commissioner Jasper Watkins. "This is about identifying criminals. If you're in this country illegally and you commit a crime, you should be deported. That's not controversial. That's common sense. And Sheriff Taylor deserves credit for being willing to change his mind when the evidence demanded it."

But immigrant advocacy organizations and civil rights groups strongly oppose the reapplication, arguing that 287(g) leads to racial profiling, erodes community trust, and makes the entire community less safe.

"When the sheriff participates in 287(g), every immigrant in Gwinnett County — documented or not — becomes afraid to call the police," said Adelina Nicholls, executive director of the Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights. "If someone is robbed, they don't report it. If someone is a victim of domestic violence, they don't seek help. If someone witnesses a crime, they don't come forward. That makes the entire community less safe — not more safe."

The Data

The debate over 287(g) is complicated by conflicting data on its effectiveness and impact on community safety.

A 2024 study by the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, found that 287(g) programs were associated with a 15% to 20% reduction in recidivism among individuals released from county jails, but found no statistically significant effect on overall crime rates.

However, a 2023 study by the University of Georgia's School of Public and International Affairs found that Hispanic residents in 287(g) counties were 30% less likely to report violent crimes to law enforcement than Hispanic residents in non-287(g) counties, suggesting a significant chilling effect on community cooperation.

"The evidence is mixed," said UGA public policy professor Dr. Robert Brown. "287(g) does identify and remove some criminals who would otherwise be released. But it also reduces cooperation between immigrant communities and law enforcement, which can lead to underreporting of crime and fewer solved cases. The net effect on public safety is genuinely unclear."

A Political Reversal

Taylor's reversal has drawn both praise and criticism from across the political spectrum — and the reactions haven't always fallen along predictable lines.

Conservative commentators who previously criticized Taylor's withdrawal from 287(g) praised his decision to reapply. "Better late than never," said Gwinnett County Republican Party chair Jeff Hrovat. "The sheriff made a mistake in 2021, and he's correcting it. That takes political courage, especially in a county that has moved to the left. I respect him for it."

But some progressive allies who supported Taylor's 2020 campaign feel betrayed. "This is a broken promise," said Gwinnett County Democratic Party chair Shelly Williams. "Sheriff Taylor campaigned on ending 287(g). He told immigrant families that he would protect them from federal overreach. Now he's reversing course without consulting the community he promised to protect. That's not leadership. That's capitulation."

Taylor pushed back on the criticism. "I didn't consult the community because this isn't a political decision — it's a public safety decision," Taylor said. "My job is to keep the people of Gwinnett County safe. All of them. Including the immigrant community. And the best way to do that is to remove violent criminals, regardless of their immigration status. 287(g) helps me do that."

What Happens Next

The application must be approved by ICE, a process that typically takes three to six months. If approved, the program would be reinstated in the Gwinnett County Jail, where trained deputies would resume screening individuals booked into the facility for immigration status.

ICE released a statement indicating that the agency "looks forward to reviewing the application" and that "287(g) partnerships are a critical tool for enhancing public safety and identifying criminal aliens."

Sheriff Taylor emphasized that the program would be limited to the jail enforcement model — meaning deputies would only screen individuals who have already been arrested and booked for state or local crimes, not conduct field enforcement or immigration sweeps.

"If you're a law-abiding immigrant in Gwinnett County, this does not affect you," Taylor said. "This is not about immigration policy. This is about identifying criminals who have been arrested and ensuring that they're not released back into our community to commit more crimes. That's my job. And I'm going to do it."

For the residents of Duluth and across Gwinnett County, the reinstatement of 287(g) will be closely watched — as a test of whether community trust and public safety can coexist, and as a signal of the political currents reshaping one of Georgia's most diverse and dynamic counties.