Buchanan County law enforcement agencies issue statements on their roles with ICE
As the pressure ramps up on law enforcement to cooperate with a national illegal immigration crackdown, local agencies are staying focused on state and local laws.
According to the St. Joseph Police Department and Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office, their officers aren’t assigned to enforce immigration status but they will comply with federal orders and help in any investigation involving a person with a criminal background.
In a statement to News-Press NOW, St. Joseph Police Capt. Jeff Wilson said: “We understand the importance of ensuring that everyone feels safe in our community, regardless of their background and dedicated to building trust with every resident in our community. We will continue to cooperate with federal agencies, such as in cases where there is a clear link to violent crime activity. Still, we are not a substitute for federal immigration enforcement. Our priority is keeping our community safe and that means focusing on threats that directly affect our citizens, including violent crime.”
Although ICE has conducted raids and arrests in cities throughout the US, no such raids have happened anywhere in the Kansas City metropolitan area or St. Joseph.
In agreement with the views of the St. Joseph police department, Sheriff Bill Puett said their main focus is getting fugitives off the street, no matter their citizenship status.
“Fugitives and people who commit violent crimes and victimize our our citizens and the people in our community, that’s always going to be our focus,” Puett said. “We don’t have any power, control or authority over ICE and what they do.”
There is concern from the community regarding ICE officers using unmarked cars and wearing plain clothes or vests that say “POLICE.”
ICE agents often do not reveal that they are ICE until after they arrest someone but citizens are encouraged to know their rights.
“The best advice we have always given citizens is, if somebody is in an unmarked car and doesn’t have a lot of I.D. or credentials on, the best thing to do is comply, roll the window down and say I would like you to call a marked car,” Puett said.
Buchanan County law enforcement officials say that while it is too early to know what will come under the Trump administration, residents should be vigilant of false information on social media regarding ICE raids.
“Follow the law, check your information out and if someone is trying to victimize you, call law enforcement so we can come and help,” said Puett.
