Sheriff to honor immigration detention requests

Richard Wiles, the Sheriff of El Paso County, has put his signature to a letter sent by the office of the Governor. The letter requires him and his officers to honor requests from the federal immigration authorities to hold individuals suspected to be undocumented immigrants in the county jail.

Wiles says that refusing to sign the letter would risk losing El Paso up to as much as $3.6 million in grants. He adds that the Sheriff’s Department has never had an issue honoring requests from federal immigration authorities. Wiles says they cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other law enforcement agencies wishing to make lawful holds or to interview inmates in their jails, and that such cooperation is standard for any state or federal agency.

Wiles’ statement is in stark contrast to the declaration made by Sally Hernandez, the Sheriff of Travis County. She says that her department will not honor requests from federal immigration authorities to detain suspects believed to be living illegally in the US unless they are accused of serious offences, such as aggravated sexual assault, human smuggling, and capital murder.

Hernandez has been warned that she risks losing $1.8 million in grants by Texas Governor, Greg Abbott if her decision is not reversed. Wiles, unconcerned by the situation, claims that El Paso County is a safe place to live, which is partly due to cooperation between law enforcement agencies.