From Christopher C. Boardman, candidate for Harford County Sheriff:
Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler’s partner in a deportation scheme between the federal government and the local sheriff’s office will no longer be working for ICE, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency which has been working busily to deport undocumented immigrants.
In the fall of 2016 Gahler co-signed a joint memorandum with ICE’s Thomas Homan to establish a program in Harford County in which sheriff deputies screen county detention center detainees to determine their immigration status and to assist ICE in their deportation if determined to be deportable. The program has become controversial on a number of counts among immigration advocates, but it is also controversial among some law enforcement advocates because it would seem to discourage immigrants from calling the police for help because such calls could lead to the discovery of illegal immigrants in a detainee’s family, community or self that would have the effect of breaking apart families and separating parents from children because of deportation.
The Harford sheriff’s collaboration with ICE is only one of as few as six agreements nationwide between ICE and local law enforcement agencies. The only other nearby agency to participate is the Frederick County Sheriff’s Department.
Acting ICE Director Homan’s departure from ICE itself its fraught with questions. Harford County Sheriff Public Information officer Christine Kahler pointed out that “after 33 years of law enforcement service and a distinguished career” Homan “announced his retirement, not his resignation. At this time we do not expect any changes to the operations of the 2887 g program,” she added.
Whether Homan retired or resigned is a question. He was elevated to acting director last fall but the Trump Administration ran into resistance getting him confirmed as permanent director by the U.S. Senate, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Homan reportedly stayed on as interim secretary at the request of White House chief of staff John Kelly, but because of the confirmation delay was being forced to give up his title of acting director. He also had a “tense relationship” with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen who had reportedly “sidelined” Homan from key meetings.
“Mr. Homan wanted Ms. Nielsen to move ahead with his suggested policies including the separation of children from their parents when they cross the border so they can be held in detention,” said the Wall Street Journal.
There is no question Mr. Homan was effective in what he was doing. He increased immigrant arrests by 40 percent, which prompted Lynn Tramate, deportation defense coordinator for America’s Voice to call Homan “a guy who really seemed to to love breaking apart families and bragging about it on Fox News.”
Recently BBC News interviewed families separated at the U.S. – Mexican border and depicted hardships of people enduring family isolation and difficult reunion efforts. Many of the children and parents had endured years of these conditions.
It is estimated that in the first quarter of 2018 ICE deported 56,710 immigrants, 46 percent of whom had not committed crimes. ICE expects to deport 209,000 in all of 2018, according to an article by Justin Rohrlich of The Daily Beast.
Just how much of a role Harford County is playing in the ICE deportation pipeline is not clear. Ms. Kahler said ten correctional deputies attended the ICE training “to conduct screenings on all individuals being processed into the facility for incarceration…This is a secondary duty that is completed in addition to and in conjunction with the correctional deputy’s primary assignment.”
According to the agreement signed by Sheriff Gahler and ICE’s Homan, Harford County taxpayers pay for the deputies to do ICE’s work while ICE pays for the materials and supplies.
“The Harford County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for the personnel expenses including but not limited to salaries and benefits, local transportation and official issue material,” declares the Memorandum of Understanding between Gahler and Homan. While ICE is to provide a computer and other hardware, the sheriff’s office (HCSO) will provide cabling and power upgrades, administrative office supplies and security equipment such as handcuffs, leg restraints and flexi-cuffs.
“HCSO will provide at no cost to ICE an office within participating HCSO facilities from which ICE supervising employees can work.
“The HCSO will provide statistical and aggregated arrest data to ICE as requested by ICE. The HCSO will also provide specific tracking data and/or any information documents or evidence related to the circumstances of a particular arrest upon request…HCSO will be responsible and bear the costs of participating HCSO personnel with regard to…personal expenses incurred by death, injury or incidents giving rise to liability…” the agreement concludes.
When asked how many people have been screened by the HCSO on behalf of ICE, Ms. Kahler said all such questions are referred to ICE. Indeed, the memorandum provides for this. An attempt to reach an ICE spokesperson was not successful before completion of this article.
As for personnel costs incurred by HCSO on behalf of ICE, Ms. Kahler was similarly opaque: “Extrapolating out the cost of deputies to provide the screening is not feasible. All other costs associated with the program are paid by ICE.”
One thing is clear about ICE is that it does not deport all convicted criminals. According to the Daily Beast, Jakiw Palij was convicted as an ex-Nazi guard from Poland. He purportedly escorted some 6,000 Jews to the Trawniki forced labor camp in Poland during World War II. In 1949 he emigrated to the U.S., where he obtained citizenship under false pretenses.
He was since convicted of his Nazi activities and stripped of his citizenship in 2004, but ICE declines to deport him, perhaps because of his advanced age of 94. Also the governments of Ukraine, Poland and Germany declined to accept him.
Boardman promises to deport all REDNECKS out of Harford County. Part of his love and civil discussion plan. You go Boardman, haters gonna hate and you have shown you are all hate.
Harford County is full of haters….Took me 4 years to realize this and get the hell out!
Wow, not only are you a horrible writer, this being one of your worst efforts, but you also cant even do good research and get accurate facts. There are over 30 jurisdictions that have the same agreements with ICE. Also, why would someone be afraid of calling the police based on this program? The only people that get screened are those who are arrested. They get screened at the jail! Now go back to your room, the jello is melting
Every time you think this clown as embarrassed himself enough, he comes back for more. Krissy, most all of your facts are wrong, but hell, you’re a hateful close minded liberal, so why should I be surprised? Democrat Clinton started the 287 g program and Democrat Obama approved the expansion that put the Harford Sheriff’s Office in. With partners like that (P R E S I D E N T S) supporting the program and now Trump, why does Gahler care if this guy is retiring?
Deport Boardman
Why are you all about this immigration screening program? Worried that when non US citizens are charged with crimes they won’t be able to vote (because they’re deported?) for candidates in Newest True Fresh Democratic Club or whatever iteration of whoever started the newest one is called?
BINGO!
You are a partisan clown who hates Republicans. Can’t wait to see you lose, hater.
Boardman = fool, Gahler = fool. Just wondering why no one ran against these two fools
Unless you are completely clueless, it’s because everyone with a brain recognized Gahler can’t be beat. He has done too good of a job and has all the support. Probably why you are typing annonymously and no one knows your name.
Harford County is paying a salary, benefits and providing office space for a Federal Employee and the feds are paying for a computer? Do we really have that many dangerous illegal immigrants in Harford to justify this expense?
Did you realize that anyone arrested in Harford County, regardless of their residency or immigration status is taken to the Harford County Detention center first?
Did you also realize law enforcement in Harford County has arrested people that are not residents of Harford County?
Yes….that big highway with the number 95 on it is a major thoroughfare for drug trafficking among other crimes. Many are illegals justifying the expense.
Nation of Laws: You are correct. We also have US Rt 40 and US Rt 1 running parallel to I-95. Those three major thoroughfares provide avenues of hopeful non-detection/escape for illegal aliens to continue to commit crimes and move around the country freely. Maybe they will be invited by Boardman to stay overnight at his house so they can get a fresh start the next morning.
Who cares what percentage of the ICE program the county is paying verse what the Fed is paying.. Ultimately, it all comes out of our pocket, one way or another.
This program has got to be cheaper than paying all the government entitlement benefits these illegals are sucking up, including space in the public schools.
Hickory Jim for sheriff!
If I could arrest all the county workers getting paid to do nothing I’d be interested.
And Deport the COunty Workers!
There are a number of things here that jump out at me… after 33 years someone retired? Um, you feel that’s odd do you? Then you include a bunch of innuendo that doesn’t really go anywhere or illustrate anything. I understand you don’t like him or anyone else that would put American citizens above illegals. Out of curiosity, what do you say to people who are victims of crimes perpetrated by illegals? Tough $hit buddy, letting them stay makes me feel good about myself? The recent caravan that made so much news traversed Mexico apparently unmolested… so if they’re fleeing to safety why isn’t Mexico safe enough for them. You and your chums tell me how hard Mexicans work so why don’t they roll up their sleeves and fix Mexico? You then list a bunch of numbers yet when Obama’s administration was busy deporting people you and your liberal friends were silent. You report that “…46 percent of whom had not committed crimes.” Do you mean “violent” crimes? Because you do understand they have committed the crime of illegally entering or overstaying. You wonder how much of a role is played by HCSO? Frankly, if one person is spared being a victim of crime it’s well worth the cost. How about if you and your liberal friends started a fund that would pay all the victims of crimes perpetrated by illegals? Throw in bringing any murder victims back to life as well please. I have in-laws overseas that are denied even a tourist visa by the state department, yet liberals like you would happily stand at the southern border to French kiss anyone who crawls across… why? Step in front of a liberal waiting to order their capafrapamochachiafrothadoodle at Starbucks and they’ll go ballistic yet they’re happy to let illegals cut in line any time – because it doesn’t affect them. And what the hell does some 94 year old that no one will take have to do with anything? Where were they supposed to send him, the Moon? I would have executed him but a wuss like you wouldn’t dream of it.