BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — Amid concerns of Asheville being a target city of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office has released a statement to News 13.
The statement says BCSO has not received any official note from CBP about planned activity in Buncombe County; however, they also have not contacted border control regarding the operation being reported in Charlotte.
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BCSO says they enforce North Carolina law and that Immigration matters fall under federal jurisdiction, and that federal agencies make their own decisions on where they operate.
“While we will follow state and federal law as required, our resources will remain dedicated to protecting the public safety of Buncombe County, as they have always been. We cannot and will not use county resources to subsidize the enforcement of civil immigration violations,” BCSO said in a statement.
BCSO says they will continue to share information and offer guidance on what residents should expect if they encounter ICE or Border Patrol.
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“Our focus is on keeping the community safe, supporting transparency, and making sure people understand the limits of our authority in these situations,” BCSO said in a statement.
The statement echoes a previous statement Buncombe County Sheriff Quentin Miller made in February, saying in part, “I have repeatedly spoken out against cooperation with ICE, saying federal immigration law is not the responsibility of local officers and damages law enforcement’s trust within the immigrant community.”
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The statement from BCSO comes after Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer released a statement saying that Asheville ‘may be a targeted city’.
Manheimer’s statement on ICE and Border Patrol referenced Governor Josh Stein’s statement talking about the possibility of ICE and Border Patrol agents coming to North Carolina, saying in part, “As this situation develops, I will continue to stay in touch with local and state officials to keep people safe, respect the rule of law, and support our people.”
Read the full statement from the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office below:
“The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office has not received any official notice from U.S. Customs and Border Protection about planned activity in Buncombe County. We have also not contacted Border Patrol regarding the operation reported out of Charlotte.The Sheriff’s Office enforces North Carolina law. Immigration matters fall under federal jurisdiction, and federal agencies make their own decisions about where they operate. While we will follow state and federal law as required, our resources will remain dedicated to protecting the public safety of Buncombe County, as they have always been. We cannot and will not use county resources to subsidize the enforcement of civil immigration violations.We know that federal immigration activity can have a real impact on families in our community. Because of that, we will continue to share accurate information and offer guidance on what residents should expect if they encounter ICE or Border Patrol. Our focus is on keeping the community safe, supporting transparency, and making sure people understand the limits of our authority in these situations.”
