As Georgia ranks as one of the top states for Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests, immigrants, families, and advocates on the front lines share their fears and the fight for freedom in a series of interviews. January marked one year since Mildred Danis-Taylor had seen her husband, Rodney Taylor. “We speak every day if he […]
Criminal Justice
Posted inCriminal Justice, Incarceration, Policing
World Cup Sparks Fears of Unhoused People Being Jailed
With just over 100 days remaining until Atlanta hosts its first World Cup match, activists and local officials are pushing the city not to repeat the same “cleanup the streets” program that led up to the 1996 Olympic Games. An estimated 30,000 Atlantans were displaced from their homes in the six years prior to the […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Incarceration
Under New Ga. Law, Abuse Survivor Gets Second Chance but Finds Few Safety Nets
In 1999, an 18-year-old new mother in Marietta stabbed her then-boyfriend and father of her infant son during an argument that turned physical. Despite immediately calling 911 to save his life, she was convicted in 2002 of felony murder and aggravated assault and sentenced to life in prison. What the judge didn’t hear about was […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Young Thug Ruling Reveals How Asset Forfeiture Hits Black Georgians
The final chapter of the longest trial in Georgia history has finally come to an end now that a Fulton County Superior Court judge has ruled that law enforcement must return the property they confiscated from Young Thug during his 2022 arrest. The Atlanta rapper had spent more than 300 days on trial between November […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Policing
Clark Atlanta Student Speaks Out After ‘Humiliating’ Classroom Arrest
Sierra Morrison remembers the first time she stepped onto the campus of Clark Atlanta University. She traveled from her Minneapolis high school to tour colleges, and something just felt right about the Georgia HBCU. “Just being in Atlanta and seeing so many people that look like me, in so many different spaces, spaces that I […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, HBCUs
Clark Atlanta Police Chief Responds after Officer Arrested Student in Class
In a letter posted Monday on Facebook, Clark Atlanta Police Chief Debra Williams announced that the police officer who arrested a female student last week for not having her college ID has been placed on leave. Seeking accountability, students at the Atlanta University Center called for answers last week after the incident. An Instagram post […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Juvenile Justice
ACLU Report Calls Out Fulton County Jail for Overcrowding and Humanitarian Crisis
A new report from the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia found that Fulton County officials are failing to take advantage of sustainable solutions to address overcrowding and the ongoing humanitarian crisis at the county jail. The study was published on the heels of major flooding at the jail last weekend. Officials estimated 70,000 gallons […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Politics & Policy
After Months in ICE Detention, Morehouse Alum Is Deported to Mexico
After Morehouse College alum Alex Maganda was picked up by immigration agents last June, his Spelhouse community rallied for his release with the hashtag #FreeAlexMaganda. It was an urgent call to Morehouse College and Spelman College’s network to help their former classmate, who had been brought to America at the age of 5 by his […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Politics & Policy
Family of Rapper Shot 17 Times by Atlanta Officer Demands Accountability
Family and friends of Linton Blackwell took to the podium at City Hall on Monday to express their frustration with the Atlanta City Council over the lack of accountability for police officers who use lethal force. “I want to understand why this officer, Gerald Walker, is not being held accountable for my brother’s death. He […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Politics & Policy
College Park Leaders Seek Answers as ICE Activity Raises Community Fears
While much of the country has eyes trained on the unrest in Minneapolis after the shooting death of Alex Pretti by U.S. Border Patrol agents, some in metro Atlanta are concerned as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement leaders appear to be expanding operations in College Park. Elected officials in the southwest Atlanta suburb say the […]
