ICE efforts to poach local officers anger some local law enforcement leaders

The application of immigration and customs is newly hunting with billions of “One Big Beau Bill” which spends legislation and pressure to quickly hire 10,000 new agents. But a tactic that he recently tried to hire – aggressively recruit new agents from some of his most reliable local partners – may have alienated some of the leaders he needs to help perform what Trump administration wants to be the greatest mass export in American history.

“We are their force multipliers, and these are the thanks that we receive for helping them do their job?” Polk County, Florida, Sheriff Grady Judd said in an interview. Judd said that he was not satisfied with recruitment recruitment, the deputy director of the ICE, sent hundreds of his assistants, and he blamed the secretary of internal security, Kristi Noem, who supervises the ice.

“Kristi Noem must put himself on her tall girl pants and do what is good. She must ensure that there are excuses,” said Judd, who also clearly indicated that he wanted to “support President Trump’s mission”.

NBC News spoke with the heads of local law in four states whose agencies participate in the 287 (G) program of the ICE, under which local officers are deputies to help the application of immigration and whose deputies are targeted for recruitment.

The recruitment email, sent this week, seems to have targeted law enforcement agents whose agencies participate in program 287 (G).

E-mail, which NBC News has obtained, reads in part: “As a person who currently supports ice in the 287 (G) program, you understand the unique responsibility that we ensure by protecting our communities and respecting federal law. Your experience we need in the state or local law provides invaluable information and skills to this mission – the localities we need more than ever. ”

The email also praises signature bonuses of $ 50,000 as an incentive to join ICE, and it is linked to a government recruitment website with an image of Uncle Sam, the title “America needs you” and the possibility of $ 60,000 in student loan repayment beyond the signature bonuses.

“ICE actively trying to use our partnership to recruit our staff is wrong and we have expressed our concern to the Ice Management,” said the Sheriff’s Bureau of Pinellas, Florida, in a press release.

The Sheriff of the County of Pinellas is republican, just like Judd.

“It is a bad judgment that will cause an erosion of a relationship that has improved lately. And that will take a number of people, and it will take leadership at DHS to really take stock, because, hey, they need a state and premises,” said Jonathan Thompson, Executive Director and CEO of the National Shareffs’ Association, in an interview.

Thompson said the association had heard more than a dozen organizations for recruiting email law. He also said that the group had not heard of the DHS since the emails had been reported to the association and that it intends to send a “very severe note” to Ice.

“This is an inappropriate behavior of a partner organization,” said Thompson. “We are all on the same boat. And you just don’t treat friends or partners like this. ”

A Florida police chief who did not want to be appointed for the sake that his department could face reprisals said that the services that had associated themselves with the federal government is now afraid of losing their best officers.

“Now you know why everyone is so upset,” said the chef.

“It’s like the transfer portal in university sports,” said the chief, adding: “We see people who leave us because they believe they can earn more money in other places. … The police have always been a call. Now, it’s a job.”

The DHS media office has not answered questions about local law application problems, but provided NBC News with a statement to which it attributed to a senior DHS: “ICE recruits law enforcement, veterans and other patriots who wish to serve their country. … a major bill will increase our 287 (g) partnerships with the police forces and local. »»

The sheriff’s office in the County of Forsyth, Georgia, told NBC News that the Atlanta Ice office “had sent excuses” for the recruitment email.

Not all sheriffs are thwarted by the recruitment effort. In fact, some say they support him.

Thaddeus Cleveland, the Sheriff of the County of Terrell, Texas, said: “I think that if someone wants to improve their life, better their career, you know, look at the long years, the long game, retirement, there is nothing better than the American government to go out and have a successful career.”

Cleveland, who has only four deputies, admits that he cannot compete with the $ 50,000 bonuses that the agency offers.

“We may not be able to turn around and hire someone the next day. It can take a few weeks. It can take a few months. But again, I support, you know, someone who wants to continue something that interests them. I can end up having to work a little more, which is ok. ”

The County of Goliad, Texas, the Sheriff Roy Boyd also said that he was not upset by recruitment and noted that his office was also to face the recruitment of new soldiers from the state of his department.

“We cannot compete with state wages and federals,” he said.