A new law in Texas expands the powers of law enforcement agencies to apprehend migrants and allows local judges to order their removal from the United States. While sheriffs in Maverick and Kinney counties express support for deporting criminal immigrants, they cite resource constraints and legal concerns as challenges in effectively collaborating with ICE.
Starting in March, Texas will grant law enforcement agencies expanded authority to apprehend migrants, and local judges will be empowered to order their expulsion from the United States under legislation enacted by Republican Governor Greg Abbott. Maverick County Sheriff Tom Schmerber, a Democrat, stated his support for deporting individuals residing in the country unlawfully who have committed offenses.
However, he underscored that his department's role will be confined to providing supplemental support to ICE due to resource limitations. 'We have around 30 deputies in total, which translates to three to four patrolling at any given time,' Schmerber explained. This implies that if ICE requires backup, there are limited resources available for redeployment. Schmerber has requested a minimum of two days' notice from ICE for their operations to facilitate the coordination of deputy schedules effectively. He asserts that Maverick County has drastically curtailed the amount of overtime his deputies can work, necessitating meticulous coordination for these operations. Moreover, he highlighted the constrained jail capacity to accommodate individuals apprehended by ICE, with 177 out of 200 spots already occupied in the Maverick County Jail as of Monday. 'I'm not going to do immigration work,' Schmerber asserted. 'I want to focus on backup security to ensure nobody is harmed, and if we have to intervene and make an arrest, we'll do it when we're patrolling the highways.' Schmerber also demands written documentation if ICE needs to interact with inmates in his jail, aiming to shield the county from potential lawsuits and conserve tax dollars. Kinney County Sheriff Brad Coe echoed the sentiments of limited resources and emphasized the need for prior notice from ICE. 'We have smuggling load drivers that are often illegal aliens,' Cleveland explained. Kinney County Sheriff Brad Coe stated that his deputies' involvement will fluctuate depending on the circumstances, ranging from enforcing immigration laws to providing backup security. He indicated that their level of responsibility would be determined on a warrant-by-warrant basis, taking into account their familiarity with the area and the suspect. Coe also requested advance notification from ICE to schedule deputies accordingly. He has six full-time deputies for his county of 3,000. He anticipates that a few of his deputies will likely participate in the enforcement program with ICE and receive specialized training
IMMIGRATION LAW ENFORCEMENT TEXAS ICE BORDER SECURITY SHERIFF
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