Opponents of 287(g)to attend mtg
Sheriff Chuck Jenkins (R) is holding his annual steering committee meeting on the controversial 287(g) federal program Wednesday evening, and opposition groups plan to attend in force.
[Photo left, Sheriff Chuck Jenkins, FC website]
The Maryland GOP sent an action alert recently to rally Republicans to attend, too, citing the presence of the ACLU and the waving the red flag of "sanctuary county:"
Hi, On Wednesday Night at 7PM at Winchester Hall, there will be a committee meeting on the 287g immigration program. Essentially, 287g allows law enforcement to screen someone for immigration if they've been a jailed for committing a crime. The local Republican club is asking people to come out to support Sheriff Chuck Jenkins and the 287g program if you can. Many will be bringing signs and will be vocalizing their support.
Jan Gardner, Jessica Fitzwater, and Senator Ron Young have called in the ACLU to protest the 287g Program in an effort to make Frederick county a Sanctuary county, so the local club is trying to support Sheriff Jenkins.
Wednesday June 14, 7 PM Winchester Hall 12 E Church St, Frederick, MD 21701
-Team MDGOP
County Executive Jan Gardner (D) said in an email that the MD GOP's statement that she invited the ACLU to protest the event is untrue, and that she did not invite anyone to attend the meeting. "While it is true that the Sheriff is holding his annual meeting on the 287g program this week, there is no truth to the assertion that I have invited anyone to attend. I was surprised to see the email. It is clearly partisan and an effort in my opinion to try to get people to turn out," she said.
Sheriff Jenkins also told WFMD's Frank Mitchell Tuesday that the MD GOP letter is incorrect, and that no one from the county, including County Executive Gardner, invited the ACLU to attend. He said in an interview that he had heard that about 30 people from the ACLU would be at the meeting. Members of the Maryland Chinese-American Network will be at the meeting to support the program, Jenkins said.
The 287(g) program partners local law enforcement agencies with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement [ICE] division of the U.S. Homeland Security agency to detain undocumented immigrants for possible deportation. The Frederick County's Sheriff's Office, under Sheriff Jenkins, joined the program in 2008.
Jenkins said in an interview that nothing has substantially changed in the 287(g) program since 2008. "I think people will be disappointed," he said.
The sheriff posited that opponents of the program are riled up because Donald Trump won the presidency in November 2016. "Everything now is anti Trump -- that, and the hullaballoo over sanctuary cities in the legislature this year, and me testifying against it in Annapolis," Jenkins said. Jenkins is referencing the Maryland Trust Act, legislation proposed this year that would deter aggressive immigration enforcement in the state. The "Trust Act" died in the Maryland General Assembly.
Safe Haven Frederick is also asking people to attend and to wear red "in solidarity." A poster on the group's Facebook page, however, reminded the group that supporters of President Trump are asking people to wear red on June 14 in honor of Trump's birthday. The group plans to join ACLU members at 6 p.m. to protest in front of Winchester Hall before the 7 p.m. meeting.
"These are your typical cast of characters who want to roll over and give up everything," Jenkins said. "They want no enforcement. They want you to turn your back and not enforce the laws."
The agenda for the meeting includes remarks from ICE officials, including Baltimore Deputy Field Office Director John Alderman, Assistant Field Office Director CJ Fohl, and 287(g) Program Manager (Frederick County) Thomas McCabe. Jenkins and Major Major Michael Cronise will also speak, highlighting the program's mission and statistics.
The public can comment following the presentation, Jenkins said.
Frederick County and Harford counties participate in the 287(g) program, and Anne Arundel County applied to become part of the program in February, according to The Baltimore Sun.
Between Apr. 11, 2008 and December 31, 2016, Frederick County's Corrections Bureau has documented 1,444 detainees in the 287(g) program, according to the Frederick County Sheriff's Office. Of those detainees, 1,248, or 86.4 percent were arrested for misdemeanor offenses, and 164, or 13.6 percent, were arrested for felony offenses.
