Now Is Not the Time for Silence: Sandy Springs Must Stand for Justice, Protect Immigrant Families, and Defend Constitutional Rights

Originally released January 26

Sandy Springs, GA – This past weekend, I received a troubling report by phone about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) entering Sandy Springs and carrying out deportations. Sandy Springs has not yet been built on diversity, but that is exactly what I am fighting for. This city can and must become a place where all people—regardless of their background or immigration status—are embraced, protected, and guaranteed the rights they deserve under the law.

Our community deserves leadership that values human dignity, constitutional rights, and the inclusivity of every resident. While the current mayor and city council have failed to stand up against these harmful immigration policies, I am here to say: leadership is coming. I will lead with courage, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to ensuring that Sandy Springs becomes a city where every resident feels safe, valued, and respected, regardless of where they come from.

As Mayor, I will require that ICE may not enter any business, school, or private property within Sandy Springs without a judicial warrant. This is a critical step in protecting the constitutional rights of all residents and ensuring that due process is upheld.

There is an important distinction between judicial warrants and administrative warrants:

• A judicial warrant is signed by a federal judge or magistrate and is based on probable cause. This type of warrant is required to authorize entry into private property or to carry out an arrest consistent with the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

• An administrative warrant, on the other hand, is issued by a federal immigration officer and does not go through the court system. These warrants do not carry the same legal authority and cannot be used to force entry into homes, schools, or businesses without permission.

ICE agents often carry administrative warrants (such as Form I-200 or I-205), which do not grant them the authority to enter private property without consent. By requiring judicial warrants, we are not obstructing law enforcement—we are upholding the Constitution.

Deportation efforts like those witnessed this weekend not only create fear and mistrust between immigrant communities and law enforcement, but also violate the fundamental principles of due process and equal protection under the law. Every person—no matter their immigration status—deserves the right to a fair hearing, to be heard, and to be treated with dignity. The absence of these basic rights in our current policies is a direct threat to the fabric of our democracy.

Sandy Springs has a unique opportunity to be a beacon of hope and inclusion, and we must take responsibility for shaping our future with that vision. Our neighbors in Atlanta have long been leaders in Georgia’s rich civil rights history, and now is the time for Sandy Springs to step forward and play an active role in that ongoing legacy. The legacy of courage, justice, and equality that has defined the struggle for human rights in this state is not a history we should observe from the sidelines. It is a cause we must actively join, and a future we must help create.

The current state of immigration enforcement in Sandy Springs is not just an issue of local policy—it is an issue of human rights. We must protect due process rights and the constitutional guarantees afforded to every individual, regardless of their immigration status. When we fail to uphold these rights, we fail as a community. We fail to live up to the principles that our city, state, and country are built on.

This weekend’s report is a clear reminder that silence in the face of injustice is complicity. As your Mayor, I will ensure that Sandy Springs leads with integrity and acts decisively to protect the rights of immigrant families, foster trust between law enforcement and our communities, and preserve the fundamental rights guaranteed to every resident under the Constitution. A threat to one of us is a threat to all of us, and we cannot remain silent when our neighbors are under attack.

Sandy Springs’ future is not yet written, but together, we have the power to shape it. A future built on compassion, trust, and inclusion—where no one is forced to live in fear of being separated from their family, and where diversity is celebrated as the strength it is. That is the Sandy Springs I am fighting for—a city where diversity is not just a value we talk about, but one we actively protect and grow.

Together, we will rise. Together, we will lead.