FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kristen McDougal, Director of Communication & Outreach
Nueces County Sheriff Honored with Defender Award for Outstanding Commitment to Upholding the Rule of Law and Protecting Citizens
The American Constitutional Rights Union (ACRU) has recognized Sheriff JC Hooper, Nueces County, Texas, as the recipient of ACRU’s prestigious Defender Award. This honor is awarded to law enforcement leaders who honor their constitutional oath to protect and to serve by working cooperatively with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to protect legal, law-abiding citizens from criminal illegal aliens.
ACRU Executive Director Lt. Col. Allen West presented the award to Sheriff Hooper at the Nueces County Sheriff’s Office.
According to ICE: “The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 added Section 287(g) to the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) — authorizing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to delegate to state and local law enforcement officers the authority to perform specified immigration officer functions under the agency’s direction and oversight…The 287(g) Program enhances the safety and security of our nation’s communities by allowing ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) to partner with state and local law enforcement.”
“Sheriff Hooper exemplifies what it means to be a true defender of the law,” said Col. Allen West, Executive Director of ACRU. “This award acknowledges his leadership and dedication to preserving American citizens’ rights to safety and security through their partnership with the 287(g) program. All law enforcement agencies should take note and follow his lead to fully embrace the authorization afforded to designated officers through these models. Well done.”
“Nueces County has been a partner with ICE since 2017, participating in the 287G Jail Enforcement Model,” said Sheriff Hooper. “The most critical responsibility of every Texas Sheriff is to ensure the safety and security of the citizens in his or her County. When a person is arrested and booked into a county jail, it is imperative that the Sheriff know exactly who that person is and also know every element of that person’s criminal history and propensity for further criminal activity. This includes illegal immigration status. A Sheriff would be remiss in his responsibilities if he disregarded a person’s federal criminal history. Nueces County will never be a Sanctuary County as long as I am the Sheriff. I have collaborative workforce relationships with numerous federal agencies, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement is one of them.
When federal, state, county, and local agencies do not share information or foster collaborative working relationships, the safety and security of the citizens are put a severe risk. This was the main finding in the after-action reports of 911 in 2001 and the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013. 287G partnerships are a necessary tool to help ensure the safety and security of our communities in a post-Biden era when the country has been inundated with unknown criminal elements from all over the world. “
For more information about the Defender Initiative and the American Constitutional Rights Union, visit theacru.org/defenders.
Questions:
Direct questions to Kristen McDougal, Kristen.McDougal@theacru.org
