With the termination of ICE’s 287g program begun earlier this year, which was never supported by our Police Chief, our Police Department, or our City Council, Lewisville will now utilize Homeland Security’s “Secure Communities” program to address illegal immigration. This more-efficient approach means that when an individual is arrested and booked, fingerprints will be forwarded to the FBI as usual to search for any other criminal warrants.
In turn, the FBI will forward them to ICE to check immigration status. From there, the job falls to ICE to take action against illegals. This is the extent that our efforts should take, which also avoids added use of local tax money for immigration enforcement, saving local taxpayer dollars. According to Homeland Security in its budget request to the U.S. Congress, “The Secure Communities screening process is more consistent, efficient and cost-effective in identifying and removing criminal and other priority aliens.” I fully agree with Homeland Security’s assessment.
My opponent, in his previous runs for City Council, openly supported participation in Homeland Security’s 287g program time and again. My opponent’s advocacy of 287g ignored our Police Chief’s position that the plan was not wanted in Lewisville, and would cost Lewisville taxpayers unnecessary money if it were implemented. My opponent recently reaffirmed his support of 287g in an interview published by The Lewisville Leader when he announced his candidacy for City Council in March. He confirmed it again in April in his responses to the Dallas Morning News Voters Guide. I can only assume he is unaware that Homeland Security began terminating the program months earlier, but it would be wise to know about the current status of a program before you promote it time and again.
I myself have always stood by and supported our Police Chief and his department, including this issue, and intend to rely first on his advice. Abolishment of 287g will save taxpayer money through greater efficiency and less redundancy between layers of government. Only one candidate knows that 287g is no longer an option, and believes we should rely instead on the Secure Communities program.
I am that one candidate.
