January 15, 2025
The following is a release from the Idaho Sheriff’s Association:
Idaho Sheriffs’ Association Position on the Immigration Crisis and the Empowerment of Criminal Cartels
As the elected Sheriffs of Idaho, we are united in honoring and enforcing the Rule of Law, which is the foundation of our Republic. Unfortunately, over the last four years, we have witnessed the subverting of our Republic by the current Biden-Harris Administration.
The Biden-Harris Administration enacted policies and issued executive orders that subverted immigration law and set in motion the most catastrophic, unlawful immigration crisis in our nation’s history. These misguided policies have created victims at many levels of our society, and the realities of those crimes are just beginning to be completely realized. Reversing these catastrophic consequences will require cooperation at all levels of government. As Sheriffs, we believe the following areas of action need to be addressed, and we call upon all elected and appointed officials to join us in supporting these efforts. It is only through bipartisan unity and collaboration that the security and future of the citizens of Idaho and the United States can be obtained.
Enforcement:
• We call upon our Federal partners to acknowledge and enforce current federal law and begin immediate removal operations of criminal illegal aliens in the U.S.
• The Sheriffs are the primary operators of the jails in the U.S. We recognize the importance of cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). We call upon all law enforcement to honor their oaths and cooperate with federal authorities in the removal of criminals unlawfully present in the State of Idaho and the United States.
• Self-professed sanctuary jurisdictions should be held accountable for subverting federal laws and protecting criminals within their jurisdictions by the U.S. Attorney Offices in each of the states.
• Many immigrants, primarily women and children, are the victims of heinous crimes inflicted upon them on both sides of our borders. Securing our borders and enforcing the Rule of Law as it applies to illegal immigration will help lower the level of occurrence of these crimes.
• As Sheriffs, we want anyone who is the victim of a crime to know that they can report that crime without negative consequence, regardless of their legal immigration status in the United States.
Legislation:
• Lawful, merit-based migration is critical to the future of the United States. We call upon the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate to address the shortcomings of our inadequate immigration processes. The Sheriffs in the State of Idaho call upon U.S. Representatives Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher, as well as U.S. Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo, to assist in leading the effort to pass comprehensive immigration reform. The last four years under the Biden-Harris administration have shown the State of Idaho and the country how easy it has been for a United States President to subvert the Rule of Law and the protection of our borders. Comprehensive bipartisan reform of our immigration and asylum policies will help deter such presidential actions in the future. The ongoing crisis at our borders demands action, not just words.
• Transcontinental Criminal Organizations such as the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation (CJNG) Cartels, as well as the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, have been empowered by America’s open border policies and continue to grow in power and their victimization of every aspect of our society. We know they have established criminal networks within the United States and are cooperating with Chinese suppliers of fentanyl and other dangerous precursors and drugs. We believe the Mexican Cartels need to be declared Terrorist Organizations. This current problem may be beyond the ability of law enforcement to suppress in this country and certainly is beyond our ability to suppress in other countries. We assert that the assistance of the U.S. Military and their resources are needed to bring these violent criminals to justice.
• Pass spending authority to provide money and resources immediately to the Southern and Northern borders of the U.S. to support securing our borders.
• Recognize that the policies of entities like the United Nations (U.N.) and the International Organization for Migration (I.O.M.) have acted to facilitate this uncontrolled and unlawful migration of millions of people over the last four years into the United States. And to further recognize that those decisions, as well as the collaborative efforts of criminal organizations like the Cartels, have led to the deaths of countless individuals in the Darian Gap and along our southern and northern borders. We encourage Congress to address these imminent threats and to hold accountable those who are responsible for these travesties.
Businesses and Employers:
• More effort should be made to encourage businesses and employers in Idaho and elsewhere to lawfully employ immigrant workers through the E-Visa and other established pathways. Failure to do so often encourages illegal immigration and does a disservice to those who have lawfully migrated into the United States. Human Trafficking, Sex Trafficking, and Indentured Servitude are happening throughout the United States, and that is no way to treat other human beings. The victimization and extortion of these people must stop. It will take a combined effort of legislators, policymakers, law enforcement, and our society to put an end to these heinous crimes.
As Idaho Sheriffs, we look forward to supporting the incoming Trump Presidential Administration and coordinating our efforts with his cabinet as well as the new Congress to secure the peace and protect the United States of America and the Republic it represents.
ISA NEWS RELEASE Position Statement on Immigration and Criminal Cartels
Sheriffs in support of statement
