Henderson County sheriff has no plans to change his stance on ICE

HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Henderson County Sheriff Lowell Griffin and an ICE agent had a heated debate Tuesday with opponents of the controversial 287(g) program, which allows state and local agencies to act as immigration enforcement agents.

Griffin held an open forum at the courthouse, where he fielded questions about the program. About 75 people attended.

When Griffin ran for office, he said he would consider canceling the program. But commissioners approved funding for more deputies, one of whom oversees the 287(g) program, though not as a full-time job. Griffin said the only role deputies play in the ICE partnership is inside the jail.

“The only authority we have is inside the detention facility, the jail,” Griffin said of the 287(g) notification program. “Once somebody is arrested, then we have the authority to screen a person.”

Henderson County is one of only four in North Carolina participating in the federal ICE immigration program.

Those opposing continuing the 287(g) ICE partnership in Henderson County held a brief protest outside the courthouse.

“It's a crime to me, a human crime they're doing this,” one protester said.

Once inside a second-floor courtroom, ICE agent Steven Larocca discussed how 287(g) works. There were some tense exchanges between Larocca and those who came to protest Henderson County's participation in the program.

Griffin said only individuals arrested on other charges and brought into the jail are screened. All individuals are asked if they are foreign born, and, if the individual is, then that triggers the 287(g) questionnaire.

In the last six months, Henderson County deputies have had 49 encounters with people they’ve questioned once in the jail on other criminal charges, 39 arrestees have been detained for ICE and 12 of those 39 are still in jail facing separate criminal charges.

“I don’t know how many times you've been arrested, I know how many times I've been arrested and that's zero,” Griffin said, pushing back against hose who think the program targets undocumented immigrants.

He stressed the program only involves reviewing those arrested and jailed on other offenses.

“Really, it's pretty simple. If you don't go to jail, we have no standing on this issue,” Griffin said.

Griffin said he has an open door policy and anyone is welcome to come and talk with him about the program.