DOYLESTOWN, PA – A court ruling (attached) today affirmed the Bucks County Sheriff’s Office's authority to participate in the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) 287(g) task force model. The decision allows the Sheriff’s Office to move forward with the common-sense initiative, providing a targeted tool for identifying individuals taken into custody based on existing criminal charges and outstanding Bucks County warrants who are also in the country illegally.

In a statement, Bucks County Sheriff Fred Harran said:

“Today’s court ruling is a victory for the law-abiding residents of Bucks County and a validation of a common-sense approach to public safety which fully leverages partnerships and resources to keep our communities safe. This decision affirms our ability to use this simple tool to ensure individuals who commit crimes in our county are held fully accountable – regardless of their immigration status.

This partnership is a fiscally responsible force multiplier for our taxpayers as the specialized training for our deputies is provided at no cost to the county. Furthermore, by transferring individuals who are not in the country legally to federal custody, we avoid the local costs of incarceration. I have the utmost confidence in our highly trained deputies to execute this narrow and specific function with the professionalism they demonstrate every day.

I have said before and will say again: this program is a targeted public safety tool, not a license for general immigration enforcement. Today’s ruling is a definitive rejection of the misinformation that has served to confuse residents and hamper the critical mission of our law enforcement officers. Now that the court has affirmed our position, we can move past these distractions and continue our mission to protect the families of Bucks County."

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