Sheriffs Claim They Can Assist ICE with Trump’s Mass Deportation Initiative

Sheriffs are expected to play a crucial role in assisting federal agents with border security and the deportation of illegal immigrants under President-elect Donald Trump.

Trump emphasized mass deportation of illegal immigrants as a pivotal element of his campaign, especially as nearly 11 million individuals have entered the country illegally since 2021.

The president-elect’s border czar designate, Tom Homan, has indicated a new phase of collaboration among federal, state, and local authorities regarding the deportation of illegal immigrants.

Homan, who previously served as the acting head of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), stated that the focus will initially be on those with criminal records or outstanding warrants.

“The country demands safety. We’ve had our fill of crime in this nation,” Homan remarked during a visit to the Texas border in November.

With approximately 3,100 counties across the nation, sheriffs could significantly assist ICE in identifying and detaining illegal immigrants, according to Sam Bushman, CEO of the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association (CSPOA), a conservative group against what it views as “unconstitutional” government overreach.

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As the chief law enforcement officials in their jurisdictions, elected sheriffs hold more power than appointed police chiefs. They oversee criminal investigations, serve warrants, manage county jails, and ensure court security within their counties.

Bushman anticipates collaboration among willing county, state, and federal officials to facilitate the deportation of illegal immigrants, possibly through the establishment of a new coordination agency or command center.

“I believe we could create an organization that effectively communicates within this trifecta,” he stated.

Richard Mack, a former sheriff in Arizona and founder of CSPOA, has communicated with Homan and is convinced that sheriffs will play a vital role in border security and deportation efforts due to their in-depth knowledge of their jurisdictions.

“Who in this country understands their counties better than the sheriff?” he posed.

Sheriffs’ local expertise positions them uniquely to facilitate safer and more efficient deportations, Mack explained to The Epoch Times.

Irrespective of political affiliations, sheriffs bear the responsibility of safeguarding their communities from crime and criminals, which is often linked to illegal immigration through drug and human trafficking as well as gang violence, he elaborated.

Policy analysts have proposed that the federal government could utilize its 287(g) program to deputize local law enforcement to assist ICE, as the agency likely lacks sufficient manpower to handle this alone.

The 287(g) program currently outlines a collaboration framework whereby local jails work alongside ICE to identify illegal immigrants at the time of booking for a crime. ICE and appointed local law enforcement can subsequently detain that individual for up to an additional 48 hours to allow ICE to assume custody.

Homan has promoted this program as a secure deportation pathway, as ICE officers can collect deportees in the relative safety of a jail environment, rather than organizing a broader community operation.

Former Chief of the U.S. Border Patrol, Rodney Scott, who served under both Trump and Biden administrations, stated in an earlier interview with The Epoch Times that Trump could expand the 287(g) program to aid in deportation efforts, similar to what he did during his initial term.

Scott has recently been nominated by Trump to become the incoming commissioner of Customs and Border Protection.

In Maryland, which typically leans Democratic, Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins, a long-standing Republican, recalled that the task force was functional in 2008.

“We had deputies in the field who could coordinate with ICE to apprehend individuals with deportation warrants and similar cases,” Jenkins informed The Epoch Times.

Reinstating the task force model could expedite the deportation of illegal immigrants with criminal backgrounds, he noted.

The Trump administration might also send representatives to local sheriffs’ departments to enlist their participation in the program, he added.

“ICE cannot handle this alone, and certainly not to the required extent,” Jenkins stated. “We need to amplify their efforts.”

Linking federal grant funding to the cooperation of sheriff’s departments with ICE would probably persuade many to participate in the initiative, he remarked.

Even in cases where sheriffs choose not to engage in the apprehension of illegal immigrants, they can assist in other capacities, such as providing transportation, logistical aid, and facilities for ICE, he explained.

Jenkins highlighted that Frederick County’s jail-based detainer program had significant success, leading to the removal of approximately 2,000 illegal immigrant criminals from the area.

Under the 287(g) program, employees of the sheriff’s office receive training to file detainers and complete paperwork under the guidance of ICE, streamlining the overall process, he pointed out.

San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez, who serves in one of the nation’s most populous counties, has expressed her intention to resist a new county directive that restricts collaboration with federal deportation efforts.

Recently, San Diego County supervisors voted to prevent the sheriff’s department from collaborating with ICE regarding the enforcement of civil immigration laws, including those leading to deportation.

California law generally limits cooperation but allows specific exemptions for individuals convicted of particular violent crimes.

Martinez, who identifies as a Democrat, stated that she would not comply with the new directive, asserting that local government does not have authority over her office.

“Current state law finds an appropriate balance, limiting local law enforcement’s collaboration with immigration authorities while safeguarding public safety and fostering community trust,” Martinez commented.

In the predominantly blue state of Michigan, Barry County Sheriff Dar Lief stressed the importance of removing violent offenders from the streets.

“I support that,” he remarked to The Epoch Times.

Lief echoed sentiments from Trump and his allies during the presidential campaign, claiming that many illegal immigrants entering the nation were released from prisons or mental health facilities.

“However, our governor urged residents to accept illegal immigrants,” he noted. “Who are you inviting into your home?”

Lief cautioned Barry County residents against taking in illegal immigrants, referred to as “new Americans” by Governor Gretchen Whitmer, due to the lack of assurance regarding their proper vetting.

Not all leaders in traditionally blue states oppose Trump’s deportation initiative to expel criminal illegal immigrants.

“We will not serve as a sanctuary for those who perpetrate violent crimes. We extend no protections for citizens and will not do so for those who are undocumented,” Adams declared at a press conference.

Adams mentioned that law-abiding illegal immigrants are welcomed in the city; however, it was a “grave error” to permit those unlawfully residing here to repeatedly commit violent acts, particularly those affiliated with gangs.

“If someone breaks the law, I’ll promptly contact ICE and say, ‘Remove them,’” she asserted.

Homan remarked that blue city officials need not collaborate, but he has persistently cautioned them not to obstruct his efforts.

Homan recently announced the commencement of deportations in Chicago, criticizing the resistance of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker against the removal of criminal immigrants.

“Should he obstruct us or knowingly harbor an undocumented immigrant, I will pursue legal action against him,” Homan warned regarding the Chicago mayor.

Texas Model

During a visit to Eagle Pass, a border town in Texas, just before Thanksgiving, Homan stated that the state’s initiative to combat illegal immigration could serve as a national template.

The operation includes members from the Department of Public Safety and the Texas National Guard.

This program also emphasizes arresting illegal immigrants for trespassing on private property along the border, providing a unique framework for how counties could assist in the deportation process.

Brent Smith, the county attorney for Kinney County, has considerable experience dealing with illegal immigration issues in his jurisdiction, which is located along the Texas-Mexico border.

Kinney County has prosecuted the highest number of illegal immigrants for trespassing and related misdemeanors under Operation Lone Star.

In 2019 and 2020, the rural county reported merely 254 and 132 misdemeanor cases, respectively, primarily involving U.S. citizens.

While the U.S. citizen caseload has remained relatively stable, the total number of misdemeanor cases skyrocketed to 6,799 in 2022 and 5,826 in 2023 due to illegal immigration, as per data from the county attorney’s office.

Smith informed The Epoch Times that the arrests for trespassing in Kinney County under Operation Lone Star have provided critical insights on effectively managing a border security initiative.

Initially, funding focused on law enforcement, but Smith realized that additional financial resources for the county’s entire judicial system, including prosecutors, public defenders, clerks, and judges, were essential to effectively process illegal immigrants charged with trespassing.

“I envision strong 287(g) agreements being established, enabling state and local law enforcement to function as an extension of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in immigration enforcement,” he asserted.

He noted that after participating in a DHS training program, local officers are designated as immigration officers under the supervision of an ICE agent.

Smith referenced former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who was recognized for successfully implementing the 287(g) task force to apprehend illegal immigrants in Arizona but faced criticism during the Obama administration.

The 287(g) program in Maricopa County was terminated in 2011 following a Department of Justice investigation that alleged the sheriff engaged in racial profiling.

In 2012, the Obama administration entirely phased out the task force and hybrid models associated with the program.

During his first term, Trump expanded the program to encompass 150 agreements with local law enforcement and broadened the criteria for removal to include minor misdemeanors.

Smith conveyed that once Trump terminates the Biden administration’s catch-and-release policy, there will likely be an increase in “gotaways,” necessitating a reallocation of resources to prioritize apprehension rather than processing newcomers claiming asylum.

Funding—or the lack thereof—will be a critical factor in deportation and border security, he highlighted.

At the state level, he is negotiating a bill with Texas legislators that would require sheriffs to apply for 287(g) agreements in order to receive state grant funding.

The same principle could be implemented regarding federal grant money for cities like Chicago, he suggested.

“What are your political beliefs worth to you? Is it worth $1,000, or $100,000, or $2 million?” he questioned. “We’ll soon find out.”