How does the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office handle immigration enforcement?

Davis says the sheriff’s office isn’t required to assist ICE in raids, nor does ICE have to contact the office before it conducts one in the area.

February 4, 2025

Taylor Gilchrist,

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The Bibb County Sheriff’s Office will not be searching for undocumented residents in the wake of the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration.

Sheriff David Davis says reports of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in Macon and Warner Robins over the past two weeks have left many wondering what the near future will look like.

“A lot of people have had some concerns, and they’re asking questions about, you know, what our role in it is,” Davis said.

Davis says the sheriff’s office isn’t required to assist ICE in raids, nor does ICE have to contact the office before it conducts one in the area. However, Davis says if someone who is undocmented is arrested or receives a citation in the county, the two law enforcement agencies will be in contact.

“We will hold that individual for ICE if they want to come and get them,” Davis said.

There are currently 12 undocumented immigrants incarcerated at the Bibb County Jail, all for charges unrelated to immigration. Davis says once notified, ICE has 48 hours to deport the individuals or give the green light for their release once the charges have been adjudicated. He says if ICE notifies the sheriff’s office that it needs an individual to be held for additional time, they will do so, but only for hours and not days.

“We’re going to be reasonable about it,” Davis said. “But we’re not going to be able to hold people two, three, four days or a week.”

With the Laken Riley Act in effect and recently signed executive orders, Davis says the sheriff’s office’s role in immigration enforcement has decreased as that of federal authorities has increased.

“They seem to have their plans already and seem to want to handle this on their own,” Davis said. “That’s certainly in their purview, and that’s what they’ve been doing.”