Enough is enough with Bristol County Sheriff Tom Hodgson. If you haven’t been following, Tom has been on a month long publicity tour on the backs of families that have experienced tragedy touting Secure Communities. Tom, who never met a camera that he didn’t like, flew to Washington DC, held press conferences at the State House bragging he went around Governor Patrick and signed up for Secure Communities himself. Scott Brown even joined the band wagon writing a letter to Janet Napolitano.
But the fact of the matter is that Republican sheriffs Hodgson, Evangelidis and McDonald signed on to an ICE program called 287(g). The opportunity for Hodgson has been available for years, the Barnstable County sheriff’s department signed on to 287(g) only to withdraw from the program in 2009 when ICE decided that retraining was needed, the Framingham Police Department had also signed on and withdrew.
Hey Tom, funny I don’t read anything in 287(g) that has ever excluded Bristol County from participating in the program, you could have participated in the program like Barnstable County did the entire time Patrick has been in office. Do you know the only Massachusetts entity that is actively participating in the program? The Massachusetts Department of Corrections, which checks fingerprints of convicted criminal aliens.
Governor Patrick who appeared on WTKK responded to Hodgson:
“We already send all of our fingerprints to Washington. We sent all our convictions to Washington … The fingerprints go to the fingerprint people. ICE takes it from there. The federal government doesn’t need governors or sheriffs for that matter to, say, share information.” he said. “The interesting thing is, [the sheriffs] are doing nothing more than we are doing already, but with the big exception of grabbing headlines.”
Hodgson responded to Governor Patrick’s quote with it’s “as moronic as it gets”.
But I think we know who’s the real moron.
It seems to be that behind all the grandstanding is a sheriff who is more interested in covering his own ass when tragedy strikes rather that protecting the public. The next time Hodgson starts his baloney on going around Patrick on Secure Communities when the opportunity has always been there, ask him if he thought this was so important then what has he been doing over his past term in office. Other counties have already evaluated the program. Now years later he decides it’s important? What has he been doing?
chrismatth says
Using The Rob Eno Method of Assigning Blame ®, Sherriff Hodgson has the blood of everyone ever victimized by someone here illegally on his hands.
johnk says
it’s just horrible.
Note to Media: Every time Hodgson says this ask him why he hadn’t followed Patrick lead and signing on earlier.
One important note here, Patrick signed on as JAILHOUSE review, meaning that convicted criminals behind bar are reviewed. This was the Mitt fiasco where Mitt was pretending to be tough on immigration in his waning days in office prior to first running for president. He wanted the staties to perform immigration checks. Hodgson could have easily reviewed the program initiated by Patrick as it was very public at the time. Either he didn’t want to or it was incompetence.
hesterprynne says
depleting the public employee pension fund to have attended to this before now.
Peter Porcupine says
This story from the Globe does some explaining – http://www.boston.com/news/local/rhode_island/articles/2010/07/06/ri_troopers_embrace_firm_immigration_role/
That executive order had included the Barnstable Sheriff as well, and they had completed the training. When the Executive Order allowing their particiaption was rescinded, the Feds said they would start again and the expense of doing the training again – when it was pretty obviosu there would be no help from the state and possible active hinderance – was deemed too great. There was negotiation to try to find a way to honor that training already doen, but again, the hostility from the administration was a factor.
Why Hodgson wasn’t on board back then along with Cummings is another question, and I have no idea.
johnk says
Yes, Mitt had state troopers, when Patrick which I have linked from the ICE website signed on to an 287(g) with correctional facilities. But the issue with Mitt’s plan which was noted by the commander:
That’s pretty much captures it, the commander and Patrick wanted police to do their job, catch the bad guys, this would hinder their job. Patrick’s 287(g) plan would allow cops to be cops, which I might add it the best use.
The executive order had nothing to Barnstable as it was initiated AFTER the Mitt fiasco. Here is the MOA dated June 2007, Patrick/Mitt was January 2007.
Peter Porcupine says
Take a look at this story – ttp://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061205/NEWS01/312059959&cid=sitesearch
Was this a different program back in 2006?
johnk says
we’ll figure it out.
But I think there is a reason Cummings is in the background, I bet he would have been in the front of the line to bash Patrick with after the budget. But maybe he’s also aware that Hodgson is a ……, well, you know.
johnk says
they had an agreement to be paid to use Barnstable CCC, no Romneyeque type of enforcement.