from the why-get-paid-less-to-do-more dept
The recently passed budget bill throws nearly $200 billion at something that doesn’t actually seem to be that much of a problem: undocumented migrants. Law-abiding, hardworking taxpayers are the targets of choice for ICE, which has a 3,000-per-day arrest quota it will never meet, even though it’s now spending most of its time raiding large businesses and hanging around courts handling immigration cases.
It’s not just the lack of enough violent criminals to fulfill the administration’s morbid fantasies. There also aren’t enough ICE agents on hand to do all of this dirty work. Well, now that Trump’s budget contains enough money to turn a monstrosity into a never-ending string of atrocities, ICE is hoping throwing a bunch of its new money at the problem will help turn things around.
ICE is offering candidates (qualified or otherwise) $50,000 signing bonuses and $10,000 bonuses every year for the first five years. While this certainly will entice plenty of bigots to apply for the opportunity to lean against courtroom hallway walls waiting for the next unlucky victim to punish for daring to follow the law, it’s definitely going to do a bit of decimation to the ranks of bigots who already have been fitted for uniforms.
Here’s how that’s playing in Utah, a decidedly red state that’s headed by a governor who has gone out of his way to make sure everyone knows he’s gone full MAGA. Governor Spencer Cox may be a big fan of Trump and his “big beautiful bill,” but local law enforcement seems extremely perturbed the government is making the routine rights violators in their employ an offer they’re unlikely to refuse.
“It’s completely, in my opinion, foul play and unprofessional,” said Utah County Sheriff Mike Smith about deputies being recruited by ICE. ABC4 is told deputies are receiving emails from the federal agency to recruit them to join.
[…]
“With offers like that to go along with other perks of working for the federal government, how can a local department compete?” Sheriff Smith expressed.
It’s actually none of those things, Sheriff. Bigotry on main in the new hot federal business and business is good. Even the failure to meet an arrest quota for more than 100 days straight can’t keep Congress and the man standing astride his prostrate enablers from paying the underachievers at ICE even more money to keep failing to meet presidential standards in perpetuity.
Sheriff Smith is wrong that this is either “foul play” or “unprofessional.” But he’s way less wrong than the DHS is in its defense of its poaching efforts:
“ICE is recruiting law enforcement, veterans, and other patriots who want to serve their country and help remove gang members, child pedophiles, murderers, terrorists, and drug traffickers. This includes local law enforcement, veterans, and our 287(g) partners who have already been trained and have valuable law enforcement experience.“
If ICE is actually removing criminal migrants from this country, it’s only because tons of local law enforcement agencies are doing all the heavy lifting for them. Those willing to honor ICE detainers have already performed arrests, which means those slated for removal just sit in jail cells until ICE comes to pick them up. That means ICE doesn’t have to do any of the work that goes into law enforcement work — you know, things like performing investigations, securing signed warrants from judges, and gathering evidence to support their cases.
Almost every federal law enforcement agency has had dozens, if not hundreds, of employees voluntold they’re now in the mass deportation business — a number that now includes 200 air marshals who will no longer be sitting in planes waiting for terrorists, but rather sitting in planes loaded with deported migrants.
ICE is obviously hoping to raid local stockpiles for law enforcement “talent.” And while local law enforcement officials are welcome to get mad about it, there’s really nothing they can do about this turn of events other than go public with their bitching.
Surprisingly, one of the bitchiest is the man now settling for being the Donald Trump of Florida, now that the Donald Trump who also spends a great deal of time in Florida has once again taken over the office of President.
Gov. Ron DeSantis is encouraging sheriffs and police chiefs in the state to fight to keep staff members as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement seeks to recruit Florida officers who recently completed immigration enforcement training.
[…]
“Sheriffs losing deputies who are in this fight, to just wear a different jersey basically, but still be in the fight, that doesn’t necessarily add to what we’re doing. It’s just moving someone over,” DeSantis said during an appearance at the Florida Highway Patrol Troop D Headquarters in Orlando. “So, I think there is frustration from that.”
What’s not included in any on the angered governor’s comments to Florida Highway Patrol was any offer to increase local salaries, to offer signing/loyalty bonuses, or to do anything at all to convince local officers not to partake of the greener, lusher grass on the ICE lawn. You’d think he might have tried a little harder, especially since he’s recently passed laws entirely intended to turn his fiefdom into the Little ICE That Could.
Lots of people are going to be attracted to the promise of a $50,000 bonus, even those who aren’t already all in on making America worse. Everything is fungible when money’s being thrown around, especially whatever little bit of morality or ethics has managed to survive an occupation seemingly designed to remove those qualities from the people doing this work. And I guarantee most of the people now complaining about losing their guys to the offer being made by Mr. Art of the Deal voted for the guy who’s now pricing them out of their own business.
Suck it, sheriffs, Mr. DeSantis, etc. This is what you wanted. No one wants to hear you complain now that you have, but not in the way you might have hoped to.
Filed Under: dhs, ice, law enforcement, mass deportation, trump administration
