Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections for January 20, 2026

On January 20, 1788, the First African Baptist Church was established in Savannah, Georgia, one of the first black churches in the United States.

John Marshall was nominated as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States by President John Adams on January 20, 1801.

On January 20, 1920, DeForest Kelley was born in Atlanta and he grew up in Conyers. Kelley sang in the choir of his father’s church and appeared on WSB radio; he graduated from Decatur Boys High School and served in the United States Navy. Kelley became famous as Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy in the original Star Trek series.

On January 20, 1928, Franklin Delano Roosevelt visited Warm Springs, Georgia for the tenth time, staying through February 11th. During the visit, he spoke to the Chamber of Commerce of Americus and Sumter County, telling them

“In Georgia the movement towards the cities is growing by leaps and bounds and this means the abandonment of the farms or those farms that are not suited to the uses of agriculture. It means that we will have vacant lands but these can and should be used in growing timber.”

January 20th became Inaugural Day in 1937; when the date falls on a Sunday, a private inauguration of the President is held, with a public ceremony the following day. The Twentieth Amendment moved inauguration day from March 4 to January 20. Imagine six additional weeks of a lame duck President.

Franklin D. Roosevelt was sworn-in to a fourth term as President on January 20, 1945 and died in Warm Springs on April 12, 1945.

On January 20, 1939, Paul D. Coverdell was born in Des Moines, Iowa. Coverdell was one of the key figures in the development of the Georgia Republican Party.

On January 20, 1977, former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter was inaugurated as the 39th President of the United States.

On January 20, 1981, Ronald Wilson Reagan was inaugurated 40th President of the United States.

Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections

Voters go to the polls today in a Special Election for State Senate District 18, according to 13WMAZ.

The contest to replace Republican John F. Kennedy, who resigned in December to run for lieutenant governor, has drawn six challengers — five Republicans and one Democrat — vying to represent voters in parts of Bibb, Crawford, Houston, Monroe, Peach and Upson counties.

Democratic candidate LeMario Brown, the lone Democrat on the ballot, spent the weekend moving between campaign stops while volunteers canvassed neighborhoods across the district.

Brown received a boost in the final days of the campaign from U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly (D) of Arizona, a former astronaut, who stopped in Forsyth on Saturday to rally supporters for a canvass launch. He has framed his campaign around affordability, health care access and economic development, pitching himself as an advocate for working families, farmers and small business owners.

“We have a chance to make history and flip this district,” Brown said. “Being a farmer here myself and a small business owner, I realize the importance of economic development and having those policies working in our favor, and making sure all the constituents here in District 18 feel like they’re being taken care of.”

Republicans, who hold the seat, are competing in a crowded field that includes five candidates.

Republican candidate and former Forsyth Mayor Eric Wilson said his campaign has focused heavily on affordability. He said his priorities include lowering property taxes, issuing state income tax rebates that could total up to $3,000 per family, and limiting what he described as frivolous lawsuits to help reduce insurance rates.

“I think we’re in a good position to lead this district, because we’ve been working hard at getting our message out, focusing on the message that’s important to the people of this district, which is affordability, cost of living, lowering property taxes, lowering insurance rates, those things that are meaningful,” Wilson said.

Wilson said his team has spent months introducing him to voters through door-knocking and phone calls. He said about 8,000 early votes were cast in the district but expects turnout to remain unpredictable in the special election.

Former House Rep. Lauren Daniel, another Republican candidate, said she is emphasizing her conservative record and “family-first” policies. Daniel pointed to her work on tax rebates, child protection measures and her endorsements from conservative organizations.

Daniel said she has heard increasing concern from voters about rapid development and the growth of data centers in rural communities. She said she wants to preserve small towns while supporting responsible economic growth.

“It’s just important to show up and have a voice in what you want your representation to be,” Daniel said. “I think people are looking for somebody that will actually go up there and fight for their conservative values. It’s a very conservative district, and so I have the proven record of doing that.”

Republican candidate Nathan Warnock said he is grounding his final message in faith and prayer. Warnock said he believes the outcome of the election is “in God’s hands” and urged voters to pray before casting their ballots.

Warnock said he has focused on meeting voters face-to-face, attending local Republican meetings and visiting towns across the district.

“If the Lord wants me to be the next state senator of Georgia, I will be,” Warnock said. “Please spend some time today in prayer and ask God to show you who you should be voting for. Whoever God chooses to win this thing, I’m going to support 100%. At this point, it’s in God’s hand, and we’re just going to trust God to do what he needs to do here.”

Howard “Eugene” Allison, another Republican candidate and self-named underdog of the group, said his campaign is centered on protecting victims of domestic violence, seniors and students. Allison said he decided to run after his girlfriend experienced domestic violence and struggled to find justice through the court system.

Allison said he is calling for tougher penalties for abusers, stronger oversight of nursing homes and expanded use of school resource officers and metal detectors. He spent the final day of the campaign holding signs and greeting drivers along busy roads.

“I’m just a little guy, you know, just trying to make a difference, trying to save lives and protect those that need to be protected,” Allison said. “I will go forth to try to protect victims of domestic violence, senior citizens and prevent the next school shooting from happening… Just trying to keep families and children safe from being another statistic.”

Steven McNeel, also a Republican, said his campaign is focused on cost-of-living concerns, particularly for seniors, people on fixed incomes and farmers. McNeel cited his background in construction, law and farming as shaping his views on taxes and regulation.

He and his family spent the day canvassing across Houston, Peach and Bibb counties, knocking on doors and urging voters to head to the polls.

“People are being priced out of their homes and their land,” McNeel said. “Growing up and working for a family construction company and dealing with high taxes and excess regulations, practicing law in the past 20 years…I’ve represented both individuals and represented businesses, I really enjoyed fighting for the little men along the way.”

Polls open Tuesday morning and close at 7 p.m. across Senate District 18. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote, a runoff election will follow.

McIntosh County voters go to the polls today to decide a referendum to repeal a zoning ordinance, according to WTOC.

Voters in McIntosh County will decide Tuesday whether to repeal a controversial zoning ordinance that more than doubled the size of homes allowed in Sapelo Island’s Hog Hammock community.

The 2023 zoning ordinance passed by the McIntosh County commission drew immediate backlash from residents of one of Georgia’s last intact Gullah Geechee communities. Residents expressed concerns the ordinance would allow development that would fundamentally change the fabric of the community.

In July 2024, activists and Sapelo Island residents collected enough signatures to put repealing the ordinance to a vote. McIntosh County ended up challenging this in court, leading to a legal battle that reached the Georgia Supreme Court.

In October 2025, the court ruled in favor of the Gullah Geechee people, clearing the way for Tuesday’s election.

Polls will be open in McIntosh County from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Under the Gold Dome this Week

Tuesday – January 20, 2026

10 AM JOINT APPROPRIATIONS 341 CAP

Wednesday – January 21, 2026

8 AM JOINT APPROPRIATIONS 341 CAP

Thursday – January 22, 2026

8 AM JOINT APPROPRIATIONS 341 CAP

4 PM CANCELED: HOUSE Approp Sub Econ Dev 406 CLOB

4 PM Senate Ethics Committee 307 CLOB

Friday – January 23, 2026

9 AM HOUSE Approp Sub Public Safety 606 CLOB

Governor Brian Kemp issued Executive Order #01.16.26.03 (House District 130) and Executive Order #01.16.26.02 (House District 94), setting special elections Tuesday, March 10, 2026 to fill two vacancies in the State House.

Police Blotter: former DeKalb County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Devon Horton was arrested, according to 11Alive via 13WMAZ.

Records show Horton was arrested at 1:38 p.m. on charges of child cruelty in the third degree and aggravated assault – strangulation.

He was booked into the DeKalb County Jail.

New warrants obtained by 11Alive allege that Horton assaulted his wife in front of their 5-year-old child by putting his hands around her neck after his wife told him not to slam a door in their house. Warrants stated there were no visible injuries to his wife, but that she told law enforcement that she felt like she was going to faint.

Their 5-year-old child told police that he saw their dad put his hands around his mom’s neck and choke her while pushing her toward a wall, according to the warrants.

Horton resigned as superintendent in November after being indicted on federal charges in Illinois, where he had previously worked. He pleaded not guilty to 17 charges, including wire fraud, tax evasion, and embezzlement, stemming from an alleged kickback scheme.

In a statement sent to news outlets Sunday, Horton’s attorney Terence Campbell said the situation began as an argument between the former superintendent and his wife.

“Because headlines can be misleading, everyone should know first and foremost that this incident had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with their children and no child was involved in the argument in any way, other than the mere fact that they were at home when it occurred,” Campbell said. “This is really a personal matter between husband and wife, and Dr. Horton’s wife is fully supportive of him and does not want charges pursued.”

In a statement, a spokesperson for DeKalb County Schools said:

“The DeKalb County School District is aware of the reported arrest of former superintendent Dr. Devon Horton, which stems from an alleged incident not related to the school district. As this is an active legal matter with law enforcement, the district has no further information to share and will not be making additional statements. The safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priority.”

Mandy Smith is the new Chair of the Dublin City Schools Board of Education, which faces a dramatic budget shortfall, according to 13WMAZ.

Mandy Smith is taking the helm as the new chairman of Dublin City Schools at a critical time for the district, as it works to address significant financial challenges and chart a path forward.

Smith, who has served on the school board for two years, recently stepped into her new role – becoming the first woman to chair the board.

“First of all I’m very honored,” Smith said. “When I was told I was the first woman chair I thought, ‘Surely not.’”

The new chairman is inheriting a district in crisis. Smith describes the moment the financial troubles came to light as devastating.

“We were thinking we were in the good and we were going forward and look at all the great things that were going on and then we got hit by a wrecking ball,” she said. “I mean, I won’t even say we got the wind knocked out of us. We literally were hit by a wrecking ball that day.”

Since then, the district has taken aggressive steps to address its budget problems. Smith says the district has cut approximately $6 million from the budget and worked out a 24-month payment plan with the state health system. The district has also been working closely with the Georgia Department of Education.

Despite the challenges, Smith says she’s ready for the responsibility.

“I hope I have a positive leadership,“ she said. “I really get frustrated with looking back and pointing fingers, you know, this is our ship and we have to man it.”

Smith acknowledges the road to recovery will be long, but she’s committed to transparent communication with families and staff as the district moves forward with its recovery plan.

“It’s just been really interesting and fun and just diving in,” Smith said. “I mean I’ve already had meetings upon meetings and to do list and answering questions which I’m here for all the time.”

More on the financial shenanigans, from 13WMAZ.

Dublin District Attorney Harold McClendon has requested a Georgia Bureau of Investigation probe into Dublin City Schools’ finances, a move that comes after months of financial turmoil and a state audit revealing potential misuse of public funds.

The request, made Monday, asks the GBI to investigate possible criminal violations related to the school system’s nearly $13 million budget shortfall.

School Board member James Lanier, serving his fifth term, said he has been calling for such an investigation since the financial crisis first came to light in August.

“I’ve been asking questions for several years, not comfortable with some things that were going on, voiced my concerns, asked questions,” Lanier said.

The district’s financial troubles have unfolded rapidly over recent months. In August, officials first disclosed the potential $13 million budget shortfall. By early October, longtime Superintendent Fred Williams had resigned. Less than a month later, the school system announced significant cuts, including laying off 46 employees.

Last week, a state audit found “potential waste and abuse of public funds,” intensifying pressure for outside investigation.

Lanier said he raised concerns about an investigation from the beginning.

“If you’ll look back in August when this first came to light, I said then I wanted the GBI to come in and investigate the finances,” he said. “We have several board members who made that same statement.”

At Monday’s board meeting, three other members also voiced support for a GBI investigation, according to Lanier.

“I just want the accountability to be placed where the accountability should be placed,” Lanier said. “And whoever that may be, you know, I’m not pointing fingers, I’m not naming names.”

While Lanier emphasized he cannot speak for the entire board, he said he believes most members would support criminal prosecution if wrongdoing is uncovered.

“If there is one inkling of something that has gone on illegal to the person, and I can’t speak for the whole board, so I’m not doing that, but to the person on our board, I would almost bet you anything, every one of them would be fully behind criminal prosecution,” he said.

Lanier said the investigation is crucial to restoring public trust in the school system.

“We want to restore the trust in our system and in our board in the community, and the first way to do that is to get the school system back on track, get those people who are responsible for if there was any wrongdoing held accountable, and then make sure we’re being good stewards of the taxpayers’ money,” he said.

The GBI confirmed it has received McClendon’s request and said it is currently under review. The agency has not indicated whether it will take on the investigation.

If the GBI moves forward, it would not be the first time the agency has investigated a Georgia school system’s finances. Two years ago, the GBI arrested and charged the former Lowndes County superintendent. Just over a year later, a jury found him guilty on more than 20 felony charges.

The decision on whether to proceed with the Dublin investigation now rests with the GBI.

Governor Brian Kemp will recommend that the state allocate $46 million dollars to replace federal funding cuts to SNAP programs, according to The Current GA.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has called on state lawmakers to replace tens of millions of dollars in anti-hunger funds cut last year under the Trump administration’s “big beautiful bill.”

In his proposed budget released last Thursday, the state’s widely popular Republican governor urged the GOP-dominated state legislature to allocate $46 million to replace funds lost due to bill’s cutbacks of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. More than one in 10 Georgians receive benefits under the program.

Passed by both houses of U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Trump in July, the administration’s marquee spending bill reduces federal support for state SNAP staff to 25% from 50%.

Under Kemp’s proposal, the state monies would be used starting in October to help pay the more than 3,000 state caseworkers and other personnel who administer the program.

That month marks the start of the federal fiscal year, when funds from Washington for the program start drying up. After that, the additional costs to the state for supporting the program would be about $62 million annually, according to an estimate from the Georgia Department of Human Services.

In his proposed budget, Kemp also recommends spending $12 million in additional state money on software to help reduce inaccurate SNAP payments.

Kemp, who is overseeing his last session of the legislature before stepping down after two terms as governor, had asked in July last year most state agencies refrain from asking for new money in the fiscal year that starts July 1. But the state agency that administers SNAP funds informed its board last year that it would request the money.

The governor, state House and state Senate must agree on a final budget by April 2.

Republicans in the state Senate introduced legislation to limit property tax increases, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Savannah Morning News.

Tax increases on Georgia homeowners could be limited to the inflation rate — including taxes for education after most school systems decided against capping property tax hikes last year.

The state Senate’s Republican majority introduced a bill this week that would require all school systems to limit property tax increases that occur because of rising home values.

About 71% of Georgia’s 180 school systems voted last year to reject the cap, as allowed by state law. This year’s bill would change that law and prevent school systems from opting out of the cap.

If approved, the legislation would save homeowners money — and reduce funding for public education in some areas. School systems would lose the ability to tax property on values that rose higher than the inflation rate in the previous year.

“The majority of people in Georgia aren’t seeing the relief that was promised because they’re continuing to see double-digit tax increases,” said state Sen. Chuck Hufstetler, R-Rome, the lead sponsor of Senate Bill 382. “People have seen huge property tax increases, and we need to limit it to the rate of inflation. We all need to live within our means.”

While no one likes paying higher taxes, schools would pay the price, said John Zauner, executive director of the Georgia School Superintendents Association.

Education expenses would continue to rise with inflation, but school systems would receive less money from property taxes.

“I’m sympathetic. I pay taxes and they’re always going up,” Zauner said. “But that’s the only choice local districts have. They don’t have any other options.”

Under a state law and constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2024, home property assessments are capped at the inflation rate for the previous year. By holding down increases in property values, property tax hikes are also limited because they’re based on the assessed value of a home and the property tax rate.

Besides school systems, the proposed bill would also affect city and county governments that also opted out of the tax cap. About 29% of city and county governments voted against capping their property tax values last year, according to records from the secretary of state’s office.

Lt. Gov. Burt Jones said the property tax bill is a priority for this year’s legislative session.

“As part of our ongoing efforts to keep costs low and put more money back in Georgians’ pockets, this legislation will limit increases in home values for property taxes year to year and require more accountability and transparency in our local taxation procedures,” Jones said.

The property tax limit is one of several tax proposals being debated at the Capitol.

Senate Republicans also want to gradually eliminate income taxes, while House Speaker Jon Burns, R-Newington, suggested he favors ending homestead property taxes.

Gov. Brian Kemp said in his State of the State Address on Thursday he wants to give tax rebates averaging $250 per taxpayer, as well as reducing the state income tax rate by one-fifth of a percentage point, to 4.99%.

Other proposed legislation would repeal the sales tax on lumber, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Gwinnett Daily Post.

A proposed amendment to the Georgia Constitution would end sales taxes on timber, a major industry battered by mill closings and storms.

House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration [R-Mulberry] said a bipartisan group of legislators want to help protect “a cornerstone of the state’s rural economy.”

“The timber tax cut is necessary because Georgia timber farmers are facing severe economic hardship following the closure of multiple sawmills in Georgia and significant losses in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene,” said Efstration, R-Mulberry, the sponsor of House Resolution 1000. “Georgia is a national leader in forestry, and I want to help this state’s rural economy and the livelihood of many Georgians.”

Georgia’s forestry industry was the largest in the nation in 2021 based on harvest volume and product export values of nearly $4 billion, according to a report by the Georgia Forestry Association.

But timber producers have suffered in recent years.

International Paper closed two pulp and paper mills in Savannah and Riceboro last year, soon after Georgia-Pacific shuttered a countainerboard mill in Cedar Springs.

Hurricane Helene damaged about 1.5 million acres of forested land in 2024, with a $1.28 billion impact to the industry, according to the Georgia Forestry Commission.

The timber tax elimination would cost the state government up to $18 million a year, Efstration said. The state government would compensate counties, municipalities and school districts for some or all of the loss of local tax revenue.

“In heavy-timber counties, that’s their major industry. They certainly don’t want their industry to go out of business,” said Clint Mueller, deputy director for Association County Commissions of Georgia, which advocates on behalf of county governments and hasn’t yet taken a position on HR 1000. “If the state fully pays for this, I don’t know why our members would be opposed to it.”

If approved by two-thirds of the state House and Senate, the constitutional amendment would be on voters’ ballots in November.

The timber industry could also receive additional support from state lawmakers this year.

Gov. Brian Kemp is seeking $14 million in his proposed budget, primarily to support adoption of technology that uses wood products in the auto industry and in pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Senate Bill 406, the “Georgia Property Owners’ Bill of Rights Act” by State Senate Rules Committee Chair Matt Brass (R-Newnan) would regulate homeowners’ associations, according to 11Alive via 13 WMAZ.

At least a dozen bills are moving through the Georgia legislature aimed at curbing what homeowners describe as abusive or overzealous homeowner’s associations.

One of the most far-reaching proposals, Senate Bill 406, would reinforce HOA enforcement rights, create another path for regulating them under the Secretary of State, and change foreclosure rules.

The push follows years of homeowner complaints across the state — stories of escalating fines, mounting legal fees, and little to no consistent communication from the HOA board or its property management company.

[11Alive] Senior Investigator Rebecca Lindstrom has reported on those cases for years, including one in which an HOA foreclosed on a woman’s home and ultimately purchased it at auction for just $3.24, despite the homeowner having already paid thousands of dollars toward what she owed.

Under SB 406, that scenario would no longer be legal. The bill would double the minimum debt required before an HOA can foreclose, raising it from $2,000 to $4,000. That amount could include only unpaid dues — not fines for community violations, such as uncut grass.

The legislation also bars HOAs, property management companies, and individuals connected to them from bidding on or buying homes at foreclosure sales, a practice that has drawn sharp criticism from homeowners and advocates.

Beyond foreclosure changes, SB 406 — titled the Georgia Property Owners’ Bill of Rights Act — would, for the first time, require all homeowners associations in the state to register annually with the Georgia Secretary of State. Associations would pay a $100 yearly fee and submit basic information, including a recent financial statement. HOAs that fail to register would be prohibited from collecting dues, issuing fines, placing liens, or initiating foreclosures.

That registration fee would help fund a new state board to oversee HOAs. The board would be empowered to investigate complaints, refer potential criminal violations to law enforcement, and provide an independent review process for homeowner disputes with their associations.

Sen. Matt Brass, one of the bill’s sponsors, says the goal is to reduce hostility and bring neutral oversight into disputes that often turn personal.

“I mean, it’s just literal hate,” Brass said. “And if we can kind of help mediate that and help solve some of these issues with a level head of someone that’s not financially invested in their property or in their community … take it out of there, have somebody non-biased to look at it, and hopefully we can solve it. And neighbors get back to being neighbors.”

The proposal also spells out specific rights for homeowners, including access to association records, notice of meetings, voting rights, protections for displaying flags and political signs, and clearer expectations for how HOA board members must act in good faith.

“This bill doesn’t take anything away from associations, doesn’t take any power away from them. It’s just saying, you know, you have to follow your bylaws, and if you don’t, there’s going to be, there’s a process to where someone can come in – that’s not necessarily a court – and can look at it and tell you if you’re following your bylaws or not,” said Brass.

11Alive News Investigates reached out to the Community Associations Institute, an education and lobbying nonprofit for HOA boards and property management companies.

In a written statement, the CAI chief executive officer, Dawn Bauman, said, “CAI supports reasonable policies that promote transparency, fairness, and accountability in community associations, while recognizing that associations rely on assessments to maintain shared property and essential services. As SB406 is reviewed, it is important to balance homeowner protections with the practical realities of volunteer-led community associations, avoid duplicative oversight structures, and ensure foreclosure remains a true last resort without undermining an association’s ability to function. CAI also supports clear safeguards that prevent conflicts of interest in the foreclosure process.”

The CAI  has already scheduled a meeting at the Capitol on January 27 to encourage its members to discuss with lawmakers any concerns or support they have for HOA-related bills.

SB 406 is a revised version of legislation Brass introduced during a Senate study committee over the break.

Senator Brass expects there will be some changes to the bill as it moves through committees. But he says, “There had to be an accountability piece because there’s currently not one.”

State legislators may consider school safety legislation this session, according to Atlanta News First via WTOC.

New education bills introduced at the Georgia Capitol could soon change how children learn and how safe parents feel sending them to school.

The proposals target school safety concerns ranging from cellphone use and vaping to firearms education.

Lawmakers backing the measures say action is urgent.

After banning phones for younger students last year, state Rep. Scott Hilton is now pushing to expand the policy into Georgia high schools. He argues cellphones are more than just a distraction.

“We’re hearing it’s just a distraction to learning. Not only learning, but mental health and public safety,” Hilton said.

“If you want to pay attention to class, yeah, you shouldn’t have your phone,” said Gavin Beltran, a ninth grader.

Beltran agrees with the proposal, saying she supports limiting cellphone use during class time, but said students should be able to access their phones during lunch.

Another proposal drawing attention would require firearms safety education in Georgia classrooms, starting as early as kindergarten. The lessons would focus on what children should do if they encounter a gun.

At a neighborhood park, Samantha Halliburton watched her daughter, Amni, play on a seesaw.

“Overall, yes,” Halliburton said of the proposal. “If parents could opt out, that would be amazing.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control, firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teens ages 1 to 17 in Georgia.

The bill’s sponsor, state Sen. Rick Williams, said his support for the measure is shaped by decades of experience in the funeral home business. Williams said one of the hardest parts of his job has been meeting families who have lost a child in an accidental shooting.

“If you see a gun, you do not touch it. You go get an adult,” Williams said.

Lawmakers are also considering a bill that would require vape detectors in all Georgia high schools. The devices detect aerosol particles linked to nicotine or THC and send real-time alerts to school staff.

A University of Georgia survey found nearly one in five Georgia high school students has used a vaping product.

“The kids are vaping in school,” said state Rep. Imani Barnes, the bill’s sponsor. “They’re going to the bathrooms. It’s becoming an epidemic.”

Barnes said funding for the detectors could come from state grants or the budget, though a fiscal note has not yet been completed.

Mom Carmen Beltran said she supports the idea.

“I think that detectors are a great idea,” she said.

The Gwinnett County Association of Educators is asking Sheriff Keybo Taylor (D) to stop cooperating with ICE, according to AccessWDUN.

The Gwinnett County Association of Educators published an open letter last week, calling it “especially cruel” to subject school-aged students to such a burden.

Taylor said his department is committed to serving all residents of Gwinnett.

“We maintain an unequivocal, consistent posture of service to our community, adherence to the Constitution, and institutional accessibility,” a statement from the sheriff’s office read.

Taylor added he is starting a conversation with the educators association.

“We are taking immediate steps to meet with the group, as we have with other community leaders, civic rights organizations, and elected officials for a candid conversation regarding this delicate matter,” Taylor said.

The Gwinnett County Association of Educators recently published a letter to Sheriff Keybo Taylor asking him to pause his department’s cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

“Recent actions taken by ICE in our nation … are unconscionable in a civil society,” the Thursday letter read. “We ask that the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Department pause its cooperation with ICE to review its impact on our schools and communities.”

The Gwinnett County Association of Educators is Gwinnett’s local chapter of the Georgia Association of Educators (GAE).

The GAE is the state affiliate of the National Education Association (NEA), the largest labor union in the country.

“Beyond physical danger, ICE’s actions directly undermine teaching and learning,” the letter read. “Seats are empty in classrooms across GCPS right now as families keep students at home in an attempt to keep them safe from ICE.”

They noted that it is “especially cruel” to subject school-aged students to such a burden.

They say their board is composed of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents who believe the issue is not a partisan one, but a moral one.

“Sheriff Taylor, we urge you to act now and put a moratorium on all cooperation of the Sheriff’s Department with ICE,” the letter concluded.