Immigrants in Athens scared of calling 911

By Joe Johnson

When police recently responded to a report of cars being broken into at a predominantly Hispanic apartment complex they learned that the same suspects had also robbed someone at gunpoint.

The person who called police about the car break-ins was not a victim, but a manager at Kathwood Townhouse Apartments, He was also the person who told police about previous crimes in the complex that included the armed robbery.

He “explained that the victims did not report anything themselves to authorities due to fear of police checking immigration documents,” a police report says.

“Management stated they advised the victims to report the crimes, but they did not follow through,” according to the report.

“Without any victims, charges for the entering autos and armed robbery cannot be pursued at this time.”

Immigrants who are in the country both legally and illegally have been hesitant to call police to report crime is a nationwide issue because of aggressive enforcement operations by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

The anxiety stems from the perception that engaging with the police could lead to detention or deportation.

But immigrants living in Athens who have not committed any crimes should not fear local police when they need to call 911 to report crimes and emergencies.

“The Athens-Clarke County Police Department does not verify the legal status of individuals in our county,”explained Lt. Katie Jenkins,

“If someone is arrested, they will be transported to the Clarke County Sheriff's Office, where their immigration status will be determined,” she said. “Simply calling into 911 to speak with an officer or file a report is not grounds for our agency to determine legal status.”

Jenkins, who is her department’s spokesperson, said “the law that dictates our response is House Bill 1105, a Georgia law that requires law enforcement officers to verify an individual's immigration status if they are arrested for a crime” and not during routine contacts.