BEL AIR, Md. — Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE has its own office inside the Harford County Detention Center as part of the 287(g) program, and Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler wouldn’t have it any other way.
“They’re going to re-offend, so if I don’t have to have people, who again, they’re telling me pose a public threat, safety threat or national security threat back our here, what I’m doing is preventing less people from becoming victims,” said Gahler.
Since the program’s inception in 2016, thousands of inmates have been screened to see if they’re wanted by the feds.
Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler speaks on immigration stance in Harford Couny
ICE’s most recent numbers for 2022 showed more than 2,900 people being screened and 43 detainers lodged.
The majority of them came from Honduras, Mexico and Guatemala.
The fear of arrest or deportation, which has spread through many immigrant communities in the country hasn’t found its way here.
“I think that’s what we’re seeing in those sanctuary jurisdictions, ICE is making a statement and going in and initiating removal procedures and what you get there is you get the ‘blanket’ where the individual who just came here to make a better life for themselves,” said Gahler, “Those people are getting caught up in the sweeps.”
While no law enforcers in Harford County are trained or authorized to conduct street-level immigrant enforcement, Gahler says his department will uphold the law, which includes backing up federal agents if its needed.
“ICE could be up here doing their enforcement efforts and certainly we would assist in a manner if we saw what we’re seeing in L.A.,” said the sheriff, “The police department, as I understand it, didn’t immediately go out to assist those officers under attack. We would not tolerate that. They have to do their job, but you not going to get a Harford County Sheriff’s Office deputy or municipal or a state trooper coming to Home Depot looking for people who are in this country illegally.”
