Local sheriffs expressed support for President-elect Donald Trump’s plan to deport large numbers of illegal migrants from the United States, stating that “people are tired of this.”
Chuck Jenkins, a Republican sheriff in Frederick County, Maryland, and Richard Jones, a Republican sheriff in Butler County, Ohio, told the Wall Street Journal that they support Trump’s deportation plan and are willing to assist the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency and its agents.
Trump has stated that he plans to carry out “the largest deportation effort in the history” of the United States once in office.
Karoline Leavitt, who was selected to serve as Trump’s White House press secretary, has confirmed that Trump “will begin operations to deport millions of undocumented immigrants” at the start of his term.
Jenkins explained to the outlet that he was “willing to support” Trump “100 percent,” adding that he wants “to do more, within the law.”
When asked if he supports Trump’s plan to carry out mass deportations once his term as president begins, Jones explained that he does and “so do the American people. People are tired of this.”
Trump’s team is reportedly looking to expand ICE’s 287(g) program, which would give “sheriffs and other agencies certain ICE powers,” a person involved with the transition’s planning told the outlet.
The WSJ said:
To leverage legions of deputies, the Trump’s team is aiming for a “historic” expansion of a federal program that gives sheriffs and other agencies certain ICE powers, said one person involved in transition planning. Under that program, known as 287(g) after the section of law that created it, the team aims to revive a dormant and controversial “task force model,” which until 2012 allowed officers from participating local agencies, during their routine duties, to question and arrest suspected noncitizens in the community on immigration violations.
ICE’s website states:
The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 added Section 287(g) to the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) — authorizing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to delegate to state and local law enforcement officers the authority to perform specified immigration officer functions under the agency’s direction and oversight.
The 287(g) Program “enhances the safety and security of our nation’s communities by allowing ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) to partner with state and local law enforcement agencies,” ICE explains, “to identify and remove incarcerated criminal noncitizens who are amenable to removal from the U.S.” prior to their release in communities.
RJ Hauman, who serves as the president of the National Immigration Center for Enforcement, told the outlet that “state and local cooperation is absolutely essential to detain and deport illegal immigrants.”
While several local sheriffs have expressed support for Trump’s mass deportation plans, several others, in Los Angeles, California, and Bristol County, Massachusetts, have stated “they aren’t in sync with Trump” because “linking arms with ICE erodes trust with immigrants and drains resources.”
WSJ reported:
Since the Nov. 5 election, some sheriffs have emphasized they aren’t in sync with Trump and say linking arms with ICE erodes trust with immigrants and drains resources. In Los Angeles, which just passed a “sanctuary city” ordinance, the county sheriff last week emphasized that his officers don’t and won’t ask citizens [sic] about their immigration status. In Massachusetts, Bristol County’s sheriff publicly said he would reply “not interested” if ICE asked him to hold undocumented immigrants with a criminal history at a former federal detention facility in his county.
Tom Homan, who Trump selected to serve as his border czar, has warned Boston’s Democrat Mayor Michelle Wu and others against trying to interfere with ICE agents, stating that “it is a felony to harbor or conceal an illegal alien from ICE.”
“They need to educate themselves,” Homan said during an interview with Fox News. “They need to review this: Title 8 U.S.C. § 1324 — read about that and don’t cross that line. Because it is a felony to harbor or conceal an illegal alien from ICE. Read the statute. Don’t cross that line.”
