The role of a local law agency in assisting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), was discussed Tuesday before the county Board of Commissioners during their executive session.
Sheriff Mike Borkovich appeared before the board at its executive meeting to discuss several issues, including defense of his intentions to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the new administration’s crackdown on immigration.
Investigations announced last week that they are “working to apprehend immigration violators in Michigan and Ohio.”
Borkovich admits that he doesn’t know how these efforts will affect Leelanau County and its significant immigrant and migrant population, including farm workers. He says that ICE has not announced any planned operations in the county to his office.
“We’re not an immigration enforcement agency, but we cooperate with all state, local, federal and tribal agencies when asked,” Borkovich said. “There have been newspaper articles what have created questions out there. But nothing has changed.
“We’ve asked to backup these agencies … it’s nothing out of our profile.”
Borkovich said the only people his departmentwillgoafterare “criminals.”
“If we pull someone over and they can’t produce ID and proof of insurance, we take them to jail and try to figure out who they are,” he said. “Sometimes that requires a call to ICE.”
During public comment, persons spoke in favor of the Sheriff’s position and others urged them to act with compassion.
“I’ve heard comment about evoking faith and the idea about being Christian,” Elmwood Township resident Dana Getsinger said. “As someone who shared in the values of compassion, justice and love … I ask you to consider this: Christians at best would not stand idly by while their neighbors, friends and family are forcefully separated and deported.”
She added that true compassion compels us to stand with those who area most vulnerable.
“Whether guided by faith, moral conviction … We cannot justify this,” she said.
Brownwyn Jones of Maple City also spoke to commissioners.
“Fear is being used to demonize,” she said. “I ask you to not give into the fear/hate campaign that is sweeping our country.”
Jim White of Suttons Bay Township took the opportunity to support Borkovich.
“It’s odd that a country that prides itself on law and order would have such a problem with illegal immigration,” he said. “We don’t have a problem in Leelanau County and there’s no sign that the police will be going into schools.”
He added that it’s “UnAmerican” when federal agencies have an approved enforcement order and local law enforcement refuses to back them.
All this comes as the Michigan House passed a resolution that withholds some state funding for local projects from local governments and universities that do not certify they will enforce federal immigration laws.
House Speaker Matt Hall stated that the resolution aims to support public safety, while Democrats argue it will harm public safety by discouraging immigrant communities from cooperating with law enforcement.
