Herndon Cops to Enforce Immigration Laws
This is excellent news. The Herndon police will soon be able to act as officials from the Federal Agency of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
What makes this such monumental news is that Herndon, my neighboring town, was once the center of national attention regarding immigration because it has a very large illegal immigrant population, and the county was going to build a day laborer shelter to assist the illegals with getting jobs. As a result, the former city council in Herndon was voted out of office.
From NBC4 here:
HERNDON, Va. — Herndon police officers could soon get the training needed to help them enforce federal immigration laws.
Police Chief Toussaint Summers said the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement has approved his request to work out an agreement that will allow his officers to exercise some federal authority.
Summers said once that’s approved, two senior special agents from ICE will be assigned to work with Herndon police on immigration law enforcement.
Summers expressed interest in working with federal authorities on the immigration issue for months. He sent a letter offering his department’s help to federal officials last September.
This sounds like a pilot program of some sort. If successful, perhaps ICE will be able to start similar programs across the rest of the country. One of the largest hurdles that local police face when dealing with illegals is the question of how to deal with the crime of illegal entry, how to respect civil rights, and whether or not they have the authority to detain and deport. ICE Training should clarify those issues.
Opponents of enforcement of illegal immigration often scream racism. I’m not too sure that the Herndon Police Chief wants to hear any of that.
