Sheriff refuses to send deputies to work at Trump’s tent city for kids

The sheriff of El Paso, Texas, wants nothing to do with Trump’s abusive tactic of separating families — so he has barred his deputies from working at a nearby “tent city” housing migrant children who have been stolen from their parents, Texas Monthly reports.

“The Sheriff’s Office will not be working at these facilities, as we don’t support the current administration’s position of separating children simply to discourage illegal immigration,” Sheriff Richard Wiles announced.

Wiles was approached by federal officials asking him to provide off-duty deputies for security work at the Tornillo, Texas, tent city, which was quickly built this month. But he declined.

“I just thought that if the citizens saw that we were working there in an off-duty capacity, it may be [seen] as if we were approving of the administration’s policy, and it would hurt our relationship with the community that we serve,” Wiles said.

The Trump administration separated more than 2,000 children from their parents at the border between May 5 and June 9 — with no plans to reunite them.

The sheriff isn’t alone in his pushback. Other law enforcement chiefs are also worried about tarnishing their departments by aiding Trump’s “zero tolerance” abuse of families.

Houston’s police chief, Art Acevedo, also publicly condemned the administration this week.

This is a watershed moment for our Nation, for our faith and for our humanity. We are a Nation that honors families, women, children and the elderly. We are a generous Nation & a God fearing Nation. If we don’t stand up for our long-held values and our faith now, then when? WWJD

— Chief Art Acevedo (@ArtAcevedo) June 20, 2018

“Separating families harms children,” said Ed Gonzalez, the sheriff of Harris County, Texas. “To me, it’s an affront to our American values.”

“Federal immigration practices that separate children from their parents are inhumane and extremely damaging to trust in law enforcement agencies at all levels,” notes Chuck Wexler of the Police Executive Research Forum, a national law enforcement research organization.

Meanwhile at least eight U.S. governors, some of whom are Republicans, have protested Trump’s actions by calling back members of their states’ National Guard from the U.S.-Mexico border.

When Trump ordered those National Guardsmen to the border in April, he promoted it as a bold piece of his get-tough agenda on immigration. But the operation has unfolded as something of a joke.

Trump is becoming so politically and morally toxic, many responsible public officials see no choice but to refuse to work with him.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.