Cobb to Step Up Immigration Vigilance

The are set to enter an agreement with federal officials Tuesday night to ensure all county employees are in the country legally and are eligible to work.

Cobb is the first local government in Georgia to use the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Mutual Agreement, or IMAGE, program.

East Cobb Commissioner Bob Ott, who pushed for the program, said he hopes the county can be a leader for others.

The county has used the federal E-Verify program to check on worker status since 2006, but Ott said the IMAGE program will go further.

Though it will initially be used only with county employees, Ott told The Marietta Daily Journal he hopes it will be used to prevent situations like the one during the construction of the new courthouse in which a subcontractor used illegal immigrants.

The meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the at 100 Cherokee St. will start with a vote and a signing ceremony with ICE officials.

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