Thread: Sheriff looks for ways to deal with arrested illegal immigra

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Sheriff looks for ways to deal with arrested illegal immigrants

By Patricia Lynch Kimbro
The Dickson Herald


Over the past several months Dickson County Sheriff Tom Wall has had people asking him what he’s going to do about illegal immigrants in Dickson County who get arrested.

Wall’s answer is short, “I will enforce the law as I’ve sworn an oath to do.”




However, the sheriff said he is still waiting for some answers from the Dickson County attorneys on what the law says the sheriff can do about illegal immigrants in the county.

“The attorneys are researching the program that allows sheriff’s deputies to enforce federal immigration law as it relates to criminal illegal immigrants,” Wall said.

The sheriff said he did not want anyone to think the county will be doing profiling, which is not legal. Nor, will his deputies be knocking on doors to check and see if someone is illegal.

“This will only apply to those who are arrested for driving without a license or otherwise breaking the law,” the sheriff said.

Once someone is arrested, whatever their nationality, we will be able to access a data base to detain illegal immigrants, and let the U.S. Immigrants and Customs laws deal with them.

“No one particular group will be singled out,” the sheriff reiterated.

Wall pointed out that Congress has passed a new law that deals with the problem nationally.

The program, referred to as 287 (g), originated in the Immigration and Nationality Act passed by Congress. The initiative is designed to multiply the forces of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) through enhanced cooperation and communication with state and local law enforcement.

Under the agreement, once approved, ICE will provide training to Sheriff's Deputies followed by authorization to identify, process, and when appropriate, detain criminal illegal immigrants encountered in the jail booking process.

“Once we finalize the details of that program it will be the official policy of the Dickson County Sheriff's Office to fully implement and enforce this program,” Wall said.

The Sheriff said he would let the county know exactly what will be happening after the attorneys receive the answer to their questions dealing with this issue.

Sounds like the Sheriff is trying to sound tough but he is so wrapped around the axle on the political correctness issues he winds up just sounding stupid.