​Groups To Speak Out Against Bucks Co. Sheriff's Agreement With ICE

DOYLESTOWN, PA — Leaders from Immigrant Rights Action, NAACP Bucks County, Make the Road PA, CASA, and the ACLU will hold a joint press conference on Wednesday morning outside the Bucks County Justice Center in Doylestown to speak out against the human and financial cost of Bucks County Sheriff’s pending 287(g) agreement.

Event organizers said the 287(g) agreement would allow sheriff deputies to ask any person about their immigration status and the power to serve and execute warrants of arrest for immigration violations, making law enforcement officers de facto ICE agents across the county.

“This isn’t something the community supports,” says Heidi Roux, Executive Director of Immigrant Rights Action. “The trust we have built between our immigrant community and law enforcement will be completely shattered. I am shocked that the Sheriff would even consider it.”

Along with disproportionately harming immigrant families, event organizers say 287(g) has a "documented history of enabling racial profiling and discriminatory policing.

“Allowing local law enforcement to enforce federal immigration laws is a dangerous move, and Bucks County residents deserve better,” said Adreinne King, President of NAACP Bucks County. “The NAACP asserts that immigration reform must address systemic issues and not focus solely on law enforcement. We know that despite assurances by government officials, many of these laws are essentially pathways that require police to engage in racial profiling. The government should prevent law enforcement from investigating and detaining people based on their color or accent, not mandate it.”

Immediately following the 9:30 a.m. press conference, the groups plan to attend the Bucks County Commissioners’ meeting to ask questions about how the Sheriff’s plan will affect the county budget and taxpayers.

“We know that other counties participating in 287(g) were exposed to legal liability that cost them millions of dollars in lawsuits,” says Kierstyn Zolfo, a group leader of Indivisible Bucks County. “ICE may pay for training, but it doesn’t cover officer salaries, overtime, or benefits. This will certainly increase the county budget. Basically, 287(g) brings Trump’s mass deportation machine to our communities at Bucks County taxpayers’ expense.”

The Other Side

In April, Bucks County Sheriff Fred Harran announced that he had signed a memorandum of understanding with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, also known as ICE, that would create a task force within the Sheriff's Department to cooperate and carry out some limited federal immigration enforcement functions.

Pending the final approval from ICE, he said that under ICE's 287(g) task force model, a select group of Bucks County deputies would be trained to enforce limited immigration law and perform duties including the authority to identify and process removable illegal aliens, particularly those with criminal charges.

“My office’s priority is straightforward - ensuring the safety of the people of Bucks County," said Harran in a statement. "With nearly 40 years in law enforcement, I know that public safety is a team sport and it's crucial that agencies work together toward common goals in our community.

“That's why we are participating in the task force model. This is a focused effort to identify and address individuals who have committed crimes within our county," he said. "I’ll work with anyone who wants to address those who threaten the safety of our neighborhoods, here we can. But I answer to the people of Bucks County, not Washington, D.C.”

Harran said the federal government has a role to play, noting that the cost of deportation or ICE operations will not fall on Bucks County taxpayers.

“The fact is, this is what we do. We already collaborate with ICE within our correctional facilities, identifying and processing inmates who are in the country illegally,” said Harran.

"The 'task force model' allows us to extend this targeted approach into the community, focusing
on individuals actively involved in criminal behavior," he said. "This is just another tool to enhance public safety - and one that means savings for Bucks County taxpayers as these criminals would be
transferred to federal ICE facilities, not our jail."

Deputies assigned to the task force will receive specialized training to "ensure the work is done effectively and within the bounds of the law" and always within the scope of their responsibilities, said Harran.

“We are committed to keeping Bucks County safe, and this initiative is a practical way to achieve that goal. We're not backing down from our responsibility to protect our community.”

Editor's Note: This story has been updated to include the fact that under the agreement, the Bucks County Sheriff's Department will not be participating in ICE raids. “Under this program, a few specially trained deputies can access federal databases to verify immigration status," said Harran. "It is only for individuals already in custody based on criminal charges and outstanding Bucks County warrants. It is not, and will not be, used for immigration sweeps, random checks, or broad enforcement. Our policies explicitly prohibit such practices.”