Gonzalez Continues With 287(g); Goal Remains to Stop Program

A protest of immigrant removal program 287(g) is slated for today, January 26, 2017 at the Sheriff’s HQ at 10AM. This is in response to what is seen as a lack of action by the newly minted Sheriff who made a campaign promise to rid his office of the program; as well as Trump’s recent actions on so-called sanctuary cities and other immigration policies.

In an interview on Mundo Hispanico with Sylvia Oben, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez states that he didn’t know the amount of grant funds that were connected to the immigrant removal program and how difficult it would be to leave the program; however, ridding the county of 287(g) remains a goal, but that it has to be in a responsible manner that ensures people who commit violent and serious crimes are detained like anyone else.

Gonzalez also touched on his priorities, which include jail overcrowding and bail reform to decrease overcrowding. But that becoming a sanctuary county, like Travis County, is not being discussed.

That funds and a flawed program like 287(g) are connected is not a new thing. If anything, it seems like the only excuse used by law enforcement leaders to keep the program. That’s, unless you’re an anti-immigrant zealot who just enjoys targeting immigrants. The program is known to net few violent criminals, as was seen when Harris County became one of the top counties to hand over to ICE low-grade offenders. The vast majority of law enforcement leaders see it as a useless program that leads to racial profiling in the field and is just ineffective.

So, the goal remains to get rid of 287(g), but perhaps his political consultants should have advised him to not make such Obama-esque promises. We just ended eight years with 3,000,000 deportations, thousands warehoused in local jails and private prisons, families separated, economies affected. And much of this was assisted by the last Democratic Sheriff in Harris County.

When a politician makes a promise, they’re expected to act quickly. Or else, they should just say what Gonzalez said in the interview and not in his campaign flyers.

By all means, please protest today.