TYLER, TX (EAST TEXAS NEWS) – Smith County unanimously approved a new agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that will allow the sheriff’s office to be reimbursed for work tied to enforcing immigration laws.
The court had previously approved a contract earlier this year enabling trained deputies to exercise limited immigration authority under federal supervision. The new contract adds a reimbursement component for equipment and time devoted to ICE activities, according to Sheriff Larry Smith.
Sheriff Smith said he already has 32 deputies trained to conduct detentions on behalf of ICE. The new agreement will permit the county to receive reimbursement for this work.
“When we signed up for the program, there was no money attached. We weren’t going to receive funds. Just so the public knows, we’re not in this for the money—we’re here to enforce the law. But yes, there is money attached now,” Smith said.
Pastor Gilberto Ávila spoke out against the agreement during the commissioners court meeting, voicing concerns about racial discrimination.
“It’s as if we’re criminals. And now we’re afraid we’ll be discriminated against because of how we look Hispanic,” Ávila said.
Ávila stated that he supports security measures, but opposes discrimination.
“We must ensure that, while we support safety, we do not support racial discrimination or portraying Hispanics as criminals,” he added.
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“We must ensure that, although we are in favor of security, we are not in favor of racial discrimination or seeing Hispanics as criminals,” he asserted.
When questioned by District 4 commissioner Ralph Caraway Sr., Smith said all individuals detained by his office under the initial 287(g) agreement were detained during traffic stops.
“Did these detentions not violate the discrimination protocol we have in place?” Caraway asked.
“No, sir, not at all. It was traffic stops for things like illegal turns, running stop signs, speeding, any traffic violation for which they were stopped,” Smith replied.
The 287(g) program was first established in 1996 and involves state and local departments in 40 states.
This article was originally written in English by Blake Holland and translated into Spanish by Vanesa Olvera.
