WORTH COUNTY, Ga. (WALB) — More than a dozen people were arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during a road check operation in Worth County.

According to Sheriff Donald Whitaker, on Oct. 20, his office helped four to six ICE agents with road checks on the east side of the county from noon to 5:00 p.m.

He said the agents were searching for people wanted by ICE under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

A total of 14 people were taken into ICE custody.

The sheriff says he doesn’t know where they are being held or the specific charges they’re facing.

Whitaker also addressed the community after he says a number of people posted warnings on social media urging locals to avoid the area or take different routes.

“People don’t understand what they could possibly do by doing that. They may be allowing this person that we are looking for to have the information and evade capture. And they don’t know who they are warning, they don’t know what kind of crime they are wanted for,” he said. ”You’re warning somebody, somebody that my end up harming your family or a friend of your family. Don’t do that. That’s not right.”

The sheriff added that he considers these warnings an interruption to law enforcement operations.

“Don’t obstruct law enforcement. When they’re road checking or out patrolling somewhere, they’re there for a reason and it’s for the reason of protecting the citizens of this county and the state,” he said. ”As far as I’m concerned, that is obstructing law enforcement by warning people. Let us do our jobs and protect everybody as we are supposed to do.”

WALB has reached out to ICE and DHS for more information on the arrests and is waiting for their response.

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