With deportation efforts promised under President Donald Trump’s administration now underway, rumors began to circulate of an Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) presence here in Habersham on Monday, Jan. 27.
ICE already has waged targeted operations in metro Atlanta areas – including in Cartersville, according to the DEA.
According to the U.S. Census, nearly 20% of the population of Habersham County is Hispanic, though this figure is likely higher when accounting for individuals who remain unreported. In Cornelia specifically, the Hispanic population is close to 30%.
On Monday, Now Habersham visited several local schools across the county to verify reports that ICE agents had contacted staff members, as sources had suggested. Such rumors first started with an alleged ICE presence at Baldwin Elementary School.
Baldwin Police Chief Chris Jones had just exited Baldwin Elementary when he stated that there had been no known communication between school faculty and ICE agents.
Jones, who had heard similar rumors, confirmed ICE had been active in Habersham. He said his department had been contacted by federal agents in recent weeks about a specific individual with an outstanding warrant.
Baldwin Elementary School Principal Rodney Long said “no comment” when asked about ICE contact, referring Now Habersham to the Habersham County School System.
Habersham County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Rob Moore said on Monday afternoon that his agency has not been contacted by ICE. He added that federal authorities don’t legally have to notify county governments or municipalities when they operate within a jurisdiction.
Now Habersham made contact with local businesses, which reported no communication with ICE so far. Staff members at Cornelia Elementary also said they’ve yet to be approached by the federal agency.
At South Habersham Middle School, when asked whether there had been a visitation by ICE, officials had no comment and again referred Now Habersham to the Habersham County School System.
School officials respond
Superintendent Matthew Cooper said in an email Monday that “no federal law enforcement agencies have been at any of our schools.”
Cooper also noted the school system “is not permitted to collect information regarding the immigration status of students – thus there is no such information to share.”
“The school system does not publicly release information regarding law enforcement involvement at our schools when students are involved,” Cooper said in an email. “This includes local, state or federal law enforcement involvement. The school system is obligated under law to protect the privacy of our students.”
He added: “The school system cooperates with local, state, and federal law enforcement within the confines of the law. We believe that our schools are safe for all students, however, parents choose whether or not their children attend one of our public schools.”
When reached by phone, Doug Westmoreland, a member of the Habersham County Board of Education, said he’s not aware of any communication between federal agents and county schools. He sought to reassure families that their children are safe on Habersham County campuses.
“I know what we’re going to do is take care of the kids,” Westmoreland said. “I know that’s what we’re going to do…the kids that are here – we’re going to take care of them regardless of what their status is.”
‘There is fear’
Already, rumors of mass deportations have stoked anxiety in local Hispanic communities.
Jose de Leon, the priest at St. Mark Catholic Church in Clarkesville, said there is definite “fear” among members of his congregation.
“There is fear,” he said. “You can’t deny that. There is a fear. People have been listening to things in the news, and there is fear.”
Just recently, Leon said, a woman attended mass without her husband, who had always been there before. When he asked her where he was, she explained that he was afraid of potential deportation. Leon also noted that despite such concerns, he hasn’t seen a decline in the number of people attending mass, with attendance still exceeding 500.
Still, “the fear is there,” he said.
