As an organization representing the South Asian American diaspora—a community fundamentally made up of immigrants—the South Asian Bar Association of Georgia (SABA-GA) is horrified at the continuing detention and deportation crisis brought about by the Trump Administration and stands against this cruelty.

For months, Georgia has been among the top hotspots in the nation for the arrest and deportation of undocumented immigrants—in part due to the state’s efforts to force local law enforcement to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The indiscriminate mass enforcement, along with the often abysmal detention conditions, are of profound and urgent concern. Moreover, these detention conditions directly contradict ICE’s own operation manual. This year alone, two ICE detainees have died while being held in a Georgia detention facility.

As lawyers, as members of the South Asian diaspora, and as humans, SABA-GA is aghast at the human cost of this immigration policy—the stories of mass raids, and of families torn apart after living in the United States for years, are too numerous to count. 

SABA-GA is proud to provide our community with legal resources to navigate this moment:

• Georgia Asylum and Immigration Network (GAIN) — georgiaasylum.org

• Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta (AAAJ) — advancingjustice-atlanta.org

• American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia (ACLU) — acluga.org

• Atlanta Bar Association Lawyer Referral — atlantabar.org

SABA-GA stands with the immigrant communities of Georgia in this uncertain and difficult time.

SABA-GA is a local organization committed to raising awareness of legal issues affecting the South Asian community. We strive to foster an environment that upholds due process and equal treatment under the law. We speak out on issues like these to ensure that every individual—regardless of background—is afforded the dignity, fairness, and justice that our system promises and we will continue to advocate whenever these principles are at risk.

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On August 6, 2025, the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office dismissed all charges against Mahendra Patel.  This was the right decision.  We are glad that Mr. Patel can finally put this situation behind him and move forward with his life.   It also reflects how prosecutorial discretion should be used when the evidence does not support the allegations.

While Mr. Patel is no longer facing the threat of incarceration, the damage he suffered cannot be undone.  He spent more than six weeks in jail, including his 57th birthday, and suffered real harm to his life and reputation.  Although the charges have now been dismissed, the dismissal came nearly five months after Mr. Patel’s arrest, during which the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office sought to deny him bond.  This should serve as a clear reminder that charging decisions must be made with care and reviewed thoroughly.

We stand by our earlier calls for transparency and accountability, and we will continue to advocate for fairness, due process, and justice for all.

SABA-GA is a local organization committed to raising awareness of legal issues affecting the South Asian community. We strive to foster an environment that upholds due process and equal treatment under the law. We speak out in cases like Mr. Patel’s to ensure that every individual—regardless of background—is afforded the dignity, fairness, and justice that our system promises and we will continue to advocate whenever these principles are at risk.

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Mr. Patel turned 57 while in custody, while members of the community repeatedly raised serious concerns about the legitimacy of the charges against him. Rather than engaging with this growing public outcry, the District Attorney’s Office ignored the well-founded concerns voiced by advocates, community leaders, and legal observers alike. Publicly available surveillance footage appeared to contradict the accuser’s claims, indicating no inappropriate physical contact or interactions by Mr. Patel as alleged. Still, Mr. Patel remained detained, and the Cobb County DA opposed bond. 

While SABA-GA and Advancing Justice-Atlanta celebrate Mr. Patel’s release from custody during his proceedings, we call on members of the public to stay tuned to Mr. Patel’s case. SABA-GA and Advancing Justice-Atlanta maintain serious concerns about the pursuit  of these charges and the DA’s attempt to deny him bond. As the turnout yesterday indicates, the community agrees. Bipartisan leadership in Cobb County agrees.   We reiterate our call for an impartial, prompt, and thorough review of all charges and evidence. While we are glad the court granted Mr. Patel bond, we recognize that this is hardly the end of Mr. Patel's fight for justice. Prosecutors must take care not to reflexively pursue the harshest possible course and erode community trust.

SABA-GA is a local organization committed to raising awareness of legal issues affecting the South Asian community. We strive to foster an environment that upholds due process and equal treatment under the law. We speak out in cases like Mr. Patel’s to ensure that every individual—regardless of background—is afforded the dignity, fairness, and justice that our system promises and we will continue to advocate whenever these principles are at risk.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the civil rights of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI), and other marginalized communities in Georgia and the Southeast.

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SABA-GA's past and present board members stood in solidarity at Mr. Patel’s bond hearing yesterday, May 6,

alongside members of the broader community.