El Paso County Sheriff sends letter to Gov. Abbott confirming county will respect ICE detainers

Texas governor Greg Abbott has threatened to cut funding to cities and counties that fail to cooperate with federal immigration officials.

Abbott has already announced that the Governor’s office will cut funding to Travis County, after sheriff Sally Hernandez said she would be scaling back her department’s cooperation with ICE.

El Paso County Sheriff Richard Wiles has done the opposite. He sent a letter to the governor that confirms the county will comply with ICE detainers.

“I signed the letter and submitted it, because to fail to do that puts about $3.6 million in grants in jeopardy here in El Paso County,” Wiles said. “We’re very heavily reliant on grants. We’re a poor community, so we seek federal and state grants all the time.” Wiles said handing over criminals to ICE for them to deport them is something the County has always done. “El Paso is a very safe community, and part of that is because of the great cooperation we have among law enforcement agencies here in El Paso,” Wiles said. “When we somebody in our jail that clears of state charges, and ICE determines that they are of danger to our community, and they want to deport them. We honor those holds, and I intend to continue to do that.” County Judge Veronica Escobar said she supports Wiles. “So far the governor’s office is not asking the Sheriff to do something that he isn’t doing. So he felt comfortable signing the letter,” Escobar said. “Could that change in the future? It could, Could there be greater demands placed on local law enforcement? There could…I’m hoping that this is the extent of it.” Wiles acknowledged that there could be new problems that arise because of the new administration, when it comes to immigration enforcement. “That might be a problem,” Wiles said. “It depends on what resources the new administration puts into immigration enforcement and how that’s going to impact us. If changes do come down, then as a county — both the sheriff’s office and the commissioners — will have to look at that and determine what’s in the best interest for our community.”