Latest news with #SanMiguelCountySheriff'sOffice
CBS News
05-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Colorado sheriff criticizes ICE's "federalization" of local jails, police forces
A Colorado county sheriff has recently expressed resistance to increased pressure from President Donald Trump's administration regarding illegal immigration. San Miguel County Sheriff Bill Masters posted on social media hours after President Trump issued an Executive Order on Friday. The order decried the "unchecked millions of aliens who entered the country illegally" during Joe Biden's term in office. In response, the order demanded state and local law agencies across the nation cooperate with federal agencies to enforce federal immigration policy. This, it stated clearly, could be encouraged by the federal government withholding federal funding to those local jurisdictions. "Article II of the Constitution vests the power to protect national security and conduct foreign policy in the President of the United States," the order states, "and Article IV, Section 4, requires the Federal Government to 'protect each of [the States] against Invasion.' This Federal power over immigration is also an inherent element of national sovereignty." Masters responded by saying he supports policing that increases his community's safety, regardless of immigration status. His office works with federal law enforcement agencies to investigate crimes and serve search warrants, and cooperates fully with them "within the confines of Colorado law." However, he is at odds with the order's goals. "This executive order is an attempt to federalize, by intimidation, the San Miguel County Sheriff's Office to do the current administration's bidding on their political cause of the day," he wrote Friday. "Not since the Runaway Slave Act of 1850 has the Federal Government attempted to federalize and use local peacekeepers to fulfill its political objectives. Many Sheriffs of that era refused to enforce (even under penalty of law) the Runaway Slave Act. As concerned as I am regarding federalization of local peacekeepers for immigration enforcement, I also see this current attempt as opening the door for future administrations to consider requiring local Sheriffs to enforce federal laws to arrest firearm owners, political opponents, protestors, etc. Although I am Sheriff of this great county for only another 30 days, I want to assure our local residents that during my short remaining tenure, I will follow Colorado law and not permit the federal government to use my office for political purposes." Masters specifically pointed out U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement's 287(g) program. It was created as part of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996. Earlier this year, ICE re-instituted a campaign to enlist the help of state and local law enforcement. ICE promises the program will reimburse cooperating local agencies for their costs. Moreover, "awards" for incarceration of illegal immigrants will be given to local jails and jail officers. ICE states local law enforcement can support federal immigration efforts by signing up for the 287(g) program, identifying "removable aliens" in custody or discovered during routine police patrols (such as DUI checkpoints), and taking ICE's training on administrative warrants that can be served against immigrants. A website dedicated to the 287(g) program also offers advice on "How can I convince my chief or sheriff to participate?" CBS News reported in late April that the number of local law agencies participating in the 287(g) program had more than tripled since last December. As of May 4, the only Colorado law enforcement agency listed among those participating in 287(g) is the Teller County Sheriff's Office. Teller County went to court six years ago in an attempt to protect its ability to hold jail detainees for several days for their eventual handing over to ICE. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against the Teller County Sheriff's Office in 2019, claiming the sheriff's office was violating Colorado law by holding individuals beyond the duration of their confinement on local charges. The ACLU won a decision from the Colorado Court of Appeals in 2024. A year earlier, the ACLU won a similar case against the El Paso County Sheriff's Office. That case also ended up in the Colorado Court of Appeals. With those legal guardrails established, most Colorado county jails limit their cooperation to a notification to ICE officials about the scheduled release of any undocumented immigrant in their custody. That example was followed to a tee last month when a truck driver was released from the Jefferson County Detention Center after serving a seven-month jail sentence for causing a fatal accident. He was immediately apprehended by ICE officials after exiting the JeffCo jail. The truck driver, Ignacio Cruz-Mendoza, a Mexican national, had been previously deported at least 16 times, according to ICE. ICE Denver officers removed Ignacio Cruz-Mendoza a criminal alien to Mexico, April 16. Cruz has past convictions for DUI, poss./drugs, careless driving resulting death & careless driving resulting in injury. He has been removed or voluntarily returned to Mexico at least 16 times. — ICE Denver (@ERODenver) April 17, 2025 San Miguel County's Masters was alerted to Trump's executive order by the National Sheriffs Association, he stated in Friday's post. The NSA's notice suggested local agencies interested in joining the 287(g) program do so quickly. The executive order also threatened members of local law agencies with suspension or termination if they and their agencies refused to assist in immigration enforcement. CBS Colorado reached out to a number of other Colorado sheriffs late Friday about the executive order, as well as to the County Sheriffs of Colorado organization. None have responded yet. Friday, in addition to the president's Executive Order, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the City of Denver, the State of Colorado, the city's mayor, the state's governor, and the state's attorney general over their "sanctuary" policies.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Colorado sheriff: Executive order an ‘attempt to federalize, by intimidation' local law enforcement
DENVER (KDVR) — Outgoing San Miguel County Sheriff Bill Masters issued a statement Friday against an executive order signed by President Donald Trump aimed at strengthening federal immigration law enforcement. Masters, who is retiring from his position at the end of May, said his office received a notice from the National Sheriffs' Association about the executive order on Friday. DOJ sues Colorado, Denver for so-called 'sanctuary laws' The order, signed on April 28, directs Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, within the next 30 days, to publish a list of states and local jurisdictions 'that obstruct the enforcement of Federal immigration laws (sanctuary jurisdictions).' On Friday, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the state of Colorado and the city of Denver, as well as specific officials, arguing the jurisdictions operate under 'sanctuary laws' designed to impede federal immigration efforts. Both the mayor of Denver and the governor of Colorado have said they do not have sanctuary laws on the books. Masters said the notice from the NSA 'strongly encouraged' agencies to enter into a '287(g) program — whether under the Jail Enforcement Model, Task Force Model, or Warrant Service Officer Model' before the list is published. Colorado law prevents local and state law enforcement from enforcing federal immigration laws, allowing officers to focus on state or local statutes. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement website says that through the 287(g) program, specific immigration officer duties are delegated to local or state law enforcement 'to protect the homeland through the arrest and removal of aliens who undermine the safety of our nation's communities and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws.' Each model has different delegated duties, such as identification and processing of removable undocumented immigrants 'with criminal or pending criminal charges' who were already arrested, enforcing limited immigration authority with ICE oversight during routine police duties, or serving and executing warrants on undocumented immigrants in the agency's jail. Trump endorses Rep. Gabe Evans for re-election, calls him 'an America First Patriot' 'I strongly support the investigation of and arrest of all persons, regardless of their citizenship or immigration status, who commit serious crimes. Over the past 50 years, I have arrested dozens of undocumented persons and at times their human smugglers, sometimes by the van load,' Masters said in a post on the sheriff's office Facebook page. He said the San Miguel County Sheriff's Office cooperates with federal law enforcement partners within the confines of Colorado law. 'This executive order is an attempt to federalize, by intimidation, the San Miguel County Sheriff's Office to do the current administration's bidding on their political cause of the day,' Masters wrote. 'Not since the Runaway Slave Act of 1850 has the Federal Government attempted to federalize and use local peacekeepers to fulfill its political objectives. Many Sheriffs of that era refused to enforce (even under penalty of law) the Runaway Slave Act.' Masters said he's concerned about the potential federalization of local law enforcement agencies because it could lead to a slippery slope. 'I also see this current attempt as opening the door for future administrations to consider requiring local Sheriffs to enforce federal laws to arrest firearm owners, political opponents, protestors, etc.,' Masters wrote. 'Although I am Sheriff of this great county for only another 30 days, I want to assure our local residents that during my short remaining tenure, I will follow Colorado law and not permit the federal government to use my office for political purposes.' Not all are on the same page. Rep. Gabe Evans, a Republican who represents Colorado's 8th Congressional District and who was recently endorsed for re-election by President Trump, introduced a federal act that he says would 'fix Colorado's immigration and crime problems.' Weld and El Paso county sheriffs spoke in favor of the measure in a recent email sent from Evans' office. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
