The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office became the first Tennessee county last week to join the Immigration and Enforcement (ICE)’s 287(g) Task Force Model program.
This program allows state and local law enforcement agencies to “enforce limited immigration authority while performing routine police duties.” Additionally, ICE states these entities can “exercise limited immigration authority as active participants on ICE-led task forces.”
This announcement comes after the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office arrested Felipe Ruyz Pacheco on June 22 for an alleged drive-by shooting.
Ruyz Pacheco is an illegal immigrant who faces Reckless Endangerment, Fabricating/Tampering with Evidence, and Vandalism charges.
After the arrest, Putnam County Sheriff Eddie Farris stated this case demonstrates the need for Putnam County to collaborate with ICE.
“When someone enters this country illegally, then they commit a serious crime, and when their identity is unknown, that poses a real threat to public safety,” Farris said.
He added that it is “imperative for Putnam County to work with federal law enforcement to remove “violent criminals who are illegal immigrants off the streets and out of” the county.
The only other Tennessee law enforcement agency that participates in this Task Force Program is the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.
Currently, 15 other Tennessee counties participate in ICE’s 287 (g) program.
Eight counties are part of the Warrant Service Officer program. This program permits state and local law enforcement agencies to “serve and execute administrative warrants on aliens currently” in their custody.
The counties participating in this are Robertson, Sumner, Macon, Giles, Grundy, Cumberland, Grainger, and Sullivan.
Seven counties are in the Jail Enforcement Model program. This lets police officers “identify and process removable aliens” in their correctional facilities “who have pending or active criminal charges while they’re in” their custody.
The counties in this program are Putnam, Franklin, Hamilton, Bradley, Morgan, Knox, and Greene.
In June, Gov. Bill Lee signed a bill that creates grants for county governments and law enforcement agencies to participate in the 287(g) program.
– – –
Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of The Star News Network. Email tips to Zachery at [email protected].
You mean it was not Davidson County? Now that is a surprise (sarcasm!)