Why Is the San Diego Sheriff Barring ICE From Local Facilities? ‘Community Concerns’?

When it comes to law enforcement, I firmly believe that local police officers and national agencies are working towards the same common goal – law and order. Making sure that people are equally treated before the law. Going after criminals that are easily breaking said law and possibly hurting others.

But the millisecond you create divide over that common goal – and for the sake of politics, no doubt – you introduce trouble. We’ve seen that on more than one occasion with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with some cities like Chicago and Minnesota preferring to declare war on them, rather than trying to work with them to make them a better place.

Now it appears that San Diego is entering the fray, as San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez noted earlier this week that ICE agents are no longer allowed to use sheriff’s facilities for training or gun qualifications, according to Fox News. Normally, there would be a sound reason for a law enforcement official to make a judgment call like this. But hers leans towards “community concerns.”

It’s no secret that ICE’s actions – which, by the way, are making tremendous progress when it comes to the removal of dangerous, violent illegal immigrants – have certainly drawn a large number of protestors, deeming them unworthy of their community. But the problem doesn’t lie with these agents doing the job assigned to them by President Donald Trump and border czar Tom Homan. It’s with the protestors themselves, insisting that violent illegal immigrants are fine and the agents need to go.

I don’t need to tell you how that statement makes absolutely zero sense.

But now we have Martinez creating further divide with law enforcement agencies, noting, “Community trust and strong relationships are the cornerstone of effective local policing.”

However, Kelly, let me make something clear. The cornerstone of effective local policing is stopping criminals and taking care of the community. And when it comes to strong relationships, that means keeping them with the community and fellow agencies alike. By making this decision, you are, in fact, damaging an ongoing relationship, and creating a stir within your community that it’s right to hate ICE agents.

I believe acting ICE director David J. Venturella explains it perfectly, making a statement following Martinez’s terrible decision.

“Politics should never interfere with law enforcement training,” he said. “San Diego County’s decision to deny ICE officers access to facilities where they have trained for years puts politics ahead of public safety.”

Exactly. Just as Minnesota and Chicago have done in the past, you’ve got people that choose the political route over the one that makes common sense when it comes to law and order. By saying ICE is the enemy and even going as far as to make a statement like “get the hell out of our city,” you’re creating further divide that is riling people up. And that means more protests, confrontations, what have you.

The exact opposite of what law enforcement officials are working towards.

“The men and women of ICE carry out dangerous law enforcement operations every day, and rigorous, continuous training is essential to keeping our officers and the public safe.”

Again, on the nose. These critics are so quick to say ICE is untrained and not efficiently doing their job in keeping the peace. Yet you have someone like Martinez yank away facilities and actually prevent them from getting that training.

Venturella continued, “Local officials may disagree with federal immigration law, but deliberately making it more difficult for federal law enforcement officers to train safely serves no one.”

Yep. And I wouldn’t be surprised if President Trump has something to say about this, potentially having a word with local leadership about Martinez’s selfish, politically driven actions.

The bottom line is, again, we’re supposed to be working together to stop these violent criminals. Not limiting what facilities can be used, or not saying, “Well, you’re not welcome here.” But working on the common goal of law and order. Otherwise, we’ve got chaos, as we’ve seen in Minnesota, Chicago and other states.

I’m behind you all the way, ICE agents. And if I had a facility, you’d be welcome to use it anytime you want. I’m not one to let “community concerns” get in the way of taking care of my fellow officers.