Sheriff: Without Secure Border Every County Will Be ‘A Border County’

In testimony before Congress Tuesday, a Maryland sheriff said amnesty for minors has led to increased gang crime and warned that without a secure border every county will be a “border county.”

“Open borders, reckless sanctuary policies, and failure to enforce our immigration laws have greatly impacted public safety and national security throughout every jurisdiction of this country. Every single day, more Americans are becoming victims of senseless crimes, being injured and killed by criminal aliens, many are transnational gang members,” said Sheriff Charles Jenkins of Frederick County, Md.

{snip}

The sheriff said, “Since 2008, this Administration has weakened immigration enforcement by dismissing deportation cases, rescinding 287g agreements, encouraging sanctuary policies, and watering down detainer policies.”

“Case by case amnesty, back door amnesty, DACA programs, and the Dream Act were pushed through by executive order,” Jenkins said. He added, “In effect, criminal aliens that should have been deported have been allowed to remain and commit more serious crimes becoming violent offenders.”

Despite his efforts with ICE to deport illegal immigrants in his county, he has still experienced an increase in the presence of international Latin gangs such as MS-13 and 18th Street.

“The criminal alien gang numbers are growing, and the serious crimes being committed are increasing,” he testified. “There is also a nexus between the deferred action on unaccompanied minors and the increases we are seeing in gang crimes.”

Both MS-13 and 18th Street are recruiting in schools in his county and at one high school the two alien gangs break out into fights frequently. In 2015, 64 percent of the criminal alien gang members his sheriff’s department encountered entered the U.S as unaccompanied minors.

{snip}