Throughout the 2016 election, President-elect Donald J. Trump made illegal immigration one of the pivotal issues of his grassroots campaign. He promised to build a wall along the Mexican border and enforce our immigration laws, something that politicians have failed to do for decades.
Well, now that Donald Trump will be sworn into office in two days, he will have one sheriff on his side: Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson. The sheriff has pledged so sign an agreement with federal officials that gives “his officers the authority to investigate inmates suspected of being illegal immigrants.”
The Massachusetts sheriff detailed that his officers will receive proper training from ICE that will instruct them on how to properly interview suspected illegal immigrants in custody.
BC Sheriff Thomas Hodgson has signed an agreement with ICE. pic.twitter.com/gjZtaaPOc2
— Jack Foley (@jackfoleyhn) January 18, 2017
In recent weeks, Sheriff Hodgson also suggested he would offer up inmates in his county to assist in building a border wall with Mexico, arguing “I can think of no other project that would have such a positive impact on our inmates and our country than building this wall.”
From The Sun Chronicle:
They will also access a federal database to determine if the suspects are wanted for crimes, or have returned to the United States after being deported. If the inmates are “red flagged” by the federal database, they will be handed over to ICE.
Hodgson said ICE has limited resources and often its agents cannot get to a jail in time to process a suspected illegal immigrant in custody before they are bailed out. Having county jail staff trained in the process will extend the reach of ICE and help keep potentially dangerous people off the streets, Hodgson said.
“This way we would not have a delay. We could do it right away,” he said. County jails hold people who have been convicted of less serious crimes and those awaiting trial. Hodgson said at this point, his officers will not be going out into the community looking for illegal immigrants.
Unsurprisingly, liberals and pro-illegal immigration activists have been sharply opposed to Sheriff Hodgson and his pledge to work with federal authorities to crack down on illegal immigration in his county, but he has refused to bow down to political correctness, calling such criticisms a “red herring.”
Are you supportive of Sheriff Hodgson’s eagerness to work with federal officials to crack down on illegal immigration in his county? Will he be a powerful ally for President-elect Trump? Share your thoughts below!