Under Trump, ICE aggressively recruited sheriffs as partners to interrogate and deter undocumented immigrants

[ad_1]

In Frederick County, Jenkins has remained an unassuming and steadfast partner in ICE.

A Republican elected sheriff in 2006, he signed to the 287 (g) program two years later and quickly became prominent as a vocal critic of U.S. immigration policy. At a noisy rally in 2009 called “Take America Back,” Jenkins declared in front of a cheering crowd, “If they’re not in this country legally, you have to leave.”

He regularly works at FAIR, speaks at events, participates in messaging campaigns and conducts news media interviews, according to email exchanges obtained from The Post’s sheriff’s department via a request in public records.

He also provided FAIR with information about people the group suspects may be illegally in the country, the emails show.

In April 2016, Susan Tully, national field director at FAIR, emailed Jenkins about two men in Maryland charged with kidnapping and rape. “Can you figure out if these people are illegal here, are they unaccompanied minors, whatever ???” he wrote.

The sheriff replied after three minutes: “I’ll see what I find out and let you know.”

Ten days later, Jenkins wrote again. “Susan, found out they were illegal, however, no previous encounters with ICE … Gang affiliations unknown today.”

In 2017, Jenkins emailed Tully about two 14-year-old undocumented immigrants jailed on murder and assault charges allegedly members of the MS-13 gang.

Tully replied: “Can I share this information or not?”

“Hell yes,” Jenkins replied. “They’re in my jail.”

When Jenkins was re -elected as sheriff in 2018, Dane, FAIR’s executive director sent a congratulatory email, writing, “You’re one of the true heroes willing to run into the fire.”

The sheriff replied: “Thank you my friend, feel like Custer in the Big Horn some day.”

Jenkins also exchanged emails with John Zadrozny, a staff member of the White House Domestic Policy Council under Trump who became the top official at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

In an email, Jenkins referred to Trump’s senior policy staff’s visit to the detention center in Frederick County; on the other, he offered arguments in support of Trump’s bid to end protections for so-called “dreamers,” undocumented immigrants brought to the United States when they were children.

“I say remove the band aid and … market it through the prism of public safety,” he wrote.

In the third email, Jenkins said he was invited to Camp David to meet with “POTUS for a courtesy photo op.”

“It would be nice at the meeting if he knew my strong national profile in enforcing immigration laws,” Jenkins wrote.

Neither Tully nor Zadrozny responded to a request for comment.

In an interview, Jenkins said he regularly interacts with various groups and constituents, including those who share his views on immigration. He added that he supports the mission of FAIR.

“I was very comfortable working with that group,” he said. “I’m not hiding anything about it whatsoever … I’m no different from other elected officials with a belief or an ideology, a strong one,” he said. “… I know who I am. I’m comfortable with my beliefs and decisions.”

[ad_2]