Josephine County Sheriff Dave Daniel said he plans to "walk a fine line" when it comes to enforcing new federal immigration practices.
Sheriff Daniel issued a press release on Saturday informing residents of the status of immigration practices within Josephine County and statewide law enforcement as it pertains to Oregon and federal law.
Daniel said that while it is known that he took an oath "to support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Oregon while enforcing those laws, these directives pit law against each other." He said he stands firm that an individual who has entered the United States illegally has committed a crime and he believes emphasis should be placed on those who commit additional crimes while here illegally.
The sheriff said he has not been contacted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in years, likely due to state sanctuary immigration sanctuary laws. However, that may change and ramifications of state statutes or federal directives may be forthcoming.
The Office of the Attorney General out of Washington, DC, issued a memo on February 5th stating Sanctuary Jurisdiction Directives call to "end funding to state and local jurisdictions that facilitate violations of federal immigration laws or impede lawful federal immigration operations."
Daniel said he will not stand in the way or inhibit federal immigration practices. He said he "will attempt to walk a fine line, for now, in an attempt to avoid what would be devastating financial impacts on our community."
The sheriff said he hopes federal and state governments can find common ground so that local law enforcement professionals can avoid becoming either the "target" or "martyr" from either institution. As for now, he said there appears to be no opportunities in the middle.
