Kelly Girtz, the mayor of Athens—a city in Clarke County, Georgia—was repeatedly interrupted and heckled on Feb. 28 while responding to criticisms that his oversight has seen the city take on “sanctuary” status for illegal immigrants. The briefing came six days after an alleged illegal immigrant was accused of murdering 22-year-old Laken Hope Riley, a nursing student at the University of Georgia.
“I empathize with the frustration and anger so many are feeling right now,” Mr. Girtz said.
Several protestors gathered at the back of the room and continuously interrupted the mayor, calling him “lawless” and a “liar,” telling him to resign, and blaming him for Ms. Riley’s death.
“We don’t want to hear from you no more. You’re not defending us. You’re not upholding your oath of office, sir! You are lawless,” said one male protestor, who was responsible for the majority of outbursts.
University of Georgia Police Chief Jeff Clark said Mr. Ibarra is a noncitizen of the United States but could not confirm his immigration status. Authorities have not told The Epoch Times if Mr. Ibarra came into the United States unlawfully, but U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has publicly called the man an illegal immigrant.
Mr. Girtz said that Athens–Clarke County is not a “sanctuary city” and argued that the designation has no “sole legal or procedural definition.”
2019 Resolution
However, several protestors took issue with these claims and started shouting out the name of the 2019 resolution, prompting a reporter to ask Mr. Girtz about the document and its intention.While championing Athens as a city that “celebrates our diversity of cultures,” the resolution also says, “For the Athens community to be whole, it is necessary that families and loved ones remain together and that all people, including those without documentation, feel welcome and comfortable interacting with local law enforcement, their local government, and all services provided by such.”
Further, it says Athens “unflinchingly defend[s] the human rights of all people, including citizens, noncitizens, and those without documentation, and recognize[s] that we cannot be witness to the violation of constitutional rights given to all people.”
Some residents believe this document encourages illegal immigrants to see Athens as another “sanctuary city,” like New York, and say it’s responsible for the culture that led up to the murder of Ms. Riley.
When asked by a reporter why the resolution was signed, Mr. Girtz blamed former President Donald Trump’s immigration rhetoric. The mayor said President Trump “speaking in the most vile terms about people who were foreign-born” prompted the city to draft the resolution to reaffirm its commitment to residents from other countries.
The resolution says, “Our entire community, not just people of color and immigrants, is harmed by the existence of white supremacy in our community going unchallenged,” which offended a protester who took it as a reference to supporters of President Trump.
“We created this government, and we pay your salary,” one protester said after shouting the words, “You’re fired,” in response to Mr. Girtz’s defense of the city.
Mr. Girtz also said he does not believe immigration and crime are connected, and blamed the last four presidents for failing to “reach agreement on how to handle immigration.” However, his critics’ concerns lie in unvetted illegal—not legal immigration.
The mayor claimed that between 1992 and 2023, murders per year have been on a “downward trajectory” in Athens, while the city has added roughly 1,000 people each year to its total population.
Still, Mr. Girtz called on President Biden and Congress to implement a federal solution to stop the unfettered flow of illegal immigrants who haven’t been checked for a criminal history and prevent further tragedies like the killing of Ms. Riley.
“I'd say trauma affects all of us. I understand in the wake of a great tragedy like this. We’re all deeply hurt. And everybody expresses their hurt differently,” he said.
