The Gwinnett County Commission voted Tuesday night to delay consideration of a resolution urging Sheriff Butch Conway to establish a program allowing deputies to begin deportation proceedings against jailed illegal immigrants.

Chairman Charles Bannister introduced the resolution calling for the program's establishment, but later sought to withdraw it before it was tabled on a 4-1 vote.

The back-and-forth over the resolution heightens the political tensions over immigration between Bannister and Commissioner Lorraine Green, who is seeking to defeat Bannister in the July Republican primary.

The two have sparred over immigration issues since Green sponsored an ordinance last year requiring county contractors to verify the immigration status of employees working on county projects. Bannister initially opposed the law.

Tuesday night, Green was the only commissioner to vote against tabling the resolution on deporting jailed inmates —even though she said county residents aren't looking for resolutions.

"They don't need resolutions, they need solutions," she said.

The decision muddies the status of the program in the county, in which the federal Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agency trains local law enforcement personnel to identify illegal immigrants and begin removal proceedings. The program is called 287(g), for the section of the Immigration and Nationality Act that authorizes it.

Conway said last week that he would be willing to join the program if the County Commission gives his office enough money to hire 18 new deputies.

Commissioner Bert Nasuti said he believed county officials would soon begin exploring the costs of the program with Conway, despite the commission's actions to table the resolution until April.

He said such a resolution isn't necessary to instruct county staff to start talking with Conway's office about the program.

Others urged a cautious approach.

Commissioner Mike Beaudreau said it is important county officials carefully weigh committing millions of dollars of taxpayer funding for what would be a controversial project.