Local Officials Left to Manage Mess Caused by Congressional Inaction

It was truly disappointing to read a recent opinion piece written by Congressman John Hall whereby he provided readers with inaccurate and misleading statistical information concerning the reports made by the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office to ICE. This was exceptionally disturbing since the Congressman was provided with the correct data by my administrative team and me before he wrote his article.

One would think that any elected official would feel compelled to provide his constituents with the most precise and updated information especially concerning a volatile topic such as illegal immigration, which continues to garner nationwide interest.

The truth is that since members of Congress have failed to adequately address this issue and continue to ignore public outcry, we on the local level are left to manage the complexities surrounding the impact of dealing with criminal illegal aliens in our communities.

No other law enforcement executive in New York State has done more to develop a comprehensive, sensible and cost effective approach in dealing with criminal illegal aliens than I. I have extensively researched the muchtouted 287G program, consulted with ICE officials on numerous occasions, and even co-hosted a statewide forum on this topic which was well attended by federal, state, county, and local law enforcement officials. Based on my research and after lengthy discussions with ICE agents, I have concluded that the 287G program is inappropriate and unnecessary for Putnam County. Police departments much larger than the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, such as NYPD having more than 35,000 police officers, the New York State Police having some 4,500 troopers and the MTA Police Department, have elected NOT to take part in the 287G initiative. In fact, there isn’t any law enforcement agency in New York State that participates in the 287G program.

Instead, my administrative team and I, working collaboratively with members of ICE, have developed a highly effective program which has been implemented at the Putnam County Correctional Facility. This procedure has been described by ICE officials as being a “seamless” partnership. Everyone committed to the custody of the Putnam County Correctional Facility of questionable citizenship is reported to the Detention and Removal Unit of ICE located at Castle Point in Dutchess County. Notification is made by using a 24/7 telephone hotline, followed by both email and fax notifications. ICE then conducts their investigation and determines if a “detainer” warrant will be issued. Due to the outstanding relationship we enjoy with ICE, we can now receive a verbal “detainer” over the telephone—followed by the written document.

Mr. Hall’s article suggests that Putnam County had only contacted ICE’s National Law Enforcement Support Center (LESC) in Vermont on two occasions during the past 9 months. He evidently doesn’t know that the LESC is essentially a records center having the capabilities of conducting record and wanted checks on individuals, and that the LESC will issue a detainer only if the person in question is a fugitive or was previously deported. Thus, contrary to Mr. Hall’s assertions, the LESC would not have issued a detainer to hold the man who was recently bailed on a local drunk driving charge, because the man was neither a fugitive nor previously deported. It was through the Sheriff’s Office’s notification to the area Detention and Removal Unit of ICE that a detainer was subsequently issued in that case.

Mr. Hall neglected to mention that the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and Correctional Facility has actually reported nearly 600 criminal illegal aliens to the Detention and Removal Unit of ICE over the past 3 years. His failure to disclose these vital statistics accurately were indeed a disservice to both the dedicated members of the Sheriff’s Office and the general public.

Now that Mr. Hall has developed a keen interest in our country’s illegal immigration problem, perhaps now he will take swift and meaningful steps on a federal level to enact a comprehensive plan to secure our boarders and enhance homeland security. A failure to do so is nothing less than a failure in leadership.

Brigadier General Donald Smith (USA, retired) is Sheriff of Putnam County.