No Explanation, No Notice: Hancock County Stunned by Inclusion on Homeland Security's List of Sanctuary Jurisdictions
Public asks County Commissioners for community forum
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Acadia Psychiatry.
ELLSWORTH—It began with a list and some confusion.
On Thursday of last week, the Department of Homeland Security posted a list of “sanctuary jurisdictions” on its website. The list was meant to show areas not considered in compliance with federal statutes.
On that list were cities and counties in more than 37 states. One of those states was Maine and one of those counties was Hancock County.
That inclusion came as a surprise to Hancock County officials.
“I have no idea where this came from and I have reached out to Sheriff Joyce who was also cited in this article,” Hancock County Sheriff Scott Kane said at a Hancock County Commissioner’s meeting, Tuesday.
Sheriff Kevin Joyce is the sheriff in Cumberland County, which was also on the list.
“I’m dumbfounded,” Sheriff Kane said. “We haven’t done anything wrong. We’ve followed the rules.”
The issue became an agenda item and multiple members of the public spoke out about it.
“DHS demands that these jurisdictions immediately review and revise their policies to align with Federal immigration laws and renew their obligation to protect American citizens, not dangerous illegal aliens,” it said on the DHS page.
The list was removed on Sunday.
“These sanctuary city politicians are endangering Americans and our law enforcement in order to protect violent criminal illegal aliens,” said DHS Secretary Kristi Noem in her agency’s press release. “We are exposing these sanctuary politicians who harbor criminal illegal aliens and defy federal law. President Trump and I will always put the safety of the American people first. Sanctuary politicians are on notice: comply with federal law.”
Sheriff Kane said that no Maine sheriffs have signed an agreement with ICE. Kane stressed that he’s been in law enforcement for 30 years and his oath, he said, is to uphold the constitution of the country and the constitution of Maine.
He has never seen a letter from ICE. He said he has reached out to the National Sheriffs' Association for guidance.
The president of that association, Sheriff Kieran Donahue, has recently said that DHS was not transparent in the list’s compilation nor acting accountably about it.
“No one can tell me how we got on this list,” Tim Richardson, Hancock County Jail administrator said. “I’m following the same practice for the 13 years I’ve been here. Our biggest concern is how we got on the list.”
Richardson said he’s also reached out to local and state agencies about how to get Hancock County off the list.
Chunze Xu, 65, who is from China, was arrested in April on charges of molesting a massage parlor customer where he worked. That business is located in Ellsworth.
According to the Bangor Daily, “he was later held at Two Bridges Regional Jail in Wiscassset, which has been holding people for ICE.”
Both Sheriff Kane and Commissioner William F. Clark stressed that the jail complies with the law.
“Speaking from experience,” Clark said, “the jail and the law enforcement does not have the authority or the power to evaluate probable cause or to evaluate whether or not that the information on the document charging this individual is accurate. They have to accept that at face value. I think when you talk to the sheriff, I think he can explain to you the position that corrections and law enforcement is forced to accept because they don't have the ability to challenge some of the paperwork that's coming in even if that paperwork was done improperly or legally. So you kind of have to let them understand the perspective they're coming from and the position they're put in. But we really have—law enforcement have limited ability to sometimes challenge these documents that can only follow a process and it that's the best they can do.”
Back on April 28, President Trump’s executive order charged the attorney general and Department of Homeland Security to make public the states and other jurisdictions (such as a county) that were considered to be “obstructing federal immigration law enforcement and notify each sanctuary jurisdiction of its non-compliance, providing an opportunity to correct it.”
During the Hancock County Commissioners’ meeting, multiple people spoke to their worries about people in the county potentially being detained by ICE and the impact to the agricultural industry, tourism industry, the families involved, and the local community in general.
George Schelling said, “This is something that has been a concern to many of us.” The concerns, he said, are not just local. He worried about “the impact of the allegations regarding federal law enforcement practices on our local police.”
It’s a concern he said because of the relationship the local police have with their communities. He chastised the federal government’s actions and lauded the local police. He also suggested having a community forum.
The suggestion for that forum was reiterated by multiple others commenting after him.
Moira O’Neill of Surry said she appreciated that the county is a sanctuary and the confirmations that the county is committed to following the law. She hoped that the county would be mindful of not challenging the designation especially as the county enters the height of the agricultural and tourism season.
“We really don’t want to be seen as a county that intimidates people that come to visit us,” she said and stressed that the immigrants help create a thriving economy.
Edward Matthias Kamin III, mentioned the writ of habeas corpus and his concern about any potential engagement or collaboration with federal agents. That writ is meant to keep people from being put in prisons or jails illegally.
“I was really surprised much like other people when I got an email for this,” said Kathleen Billings, Stonington’s town manager.
Stonington, she said, has millions in projects and it’s deeply concerning what might happen if the funding sources got cut off.
“It has huge implications for all of us,” she said.
In March, the administration said that it would review aid, including federal disaster aid to “sanctuary jurisdictions.”
Sixteen jurisdictions have sued. United States District Judge William Orrick blocked the administration from doing so, via a preliminary injunction in City and County of San Francisco v. Donald J. Trump.
The worries about interactions with ICE and the county were personal and community-based for many speaking.
“I have two children whose father is an immigrant, now a U.S. citizen. We have many family members who escaped from the civil wars in Central America and some terrible tragedies,” said Barb Acosta, Trenton. “They came to the United States seeking safety and more freedom.”
Most of the immigrants she’s worked with are “highly upstanding families who are seeking a better life for their children,” she said. “They are all terrified.”
She mentioned immigrants in Bar Harbor who are afraid to walk out of their doors to go grocery shopping because they are terrified that they’ll be picked up by ICE, and they have legal standing here, they’ve done everything right, she said.
“It’s very problematic,” Acosta said. “In this area on Mount Desert Island we rely heavily on international workers who come in during the summer to help out in the restaurants, hotels, and so forth.”
Jane Robinson said the county needs to live out its values and also advocated a forum as did Joyce Schelling.
“I think it’s very important that we draw a clear and bright line between local and state law enforcement and federal agencies,” Acosta said.
Sheriff Kane gave George Schelling his business card so that they could talk. He also invited any commissioners to be part of that conversation.
No other communities within Hancock County were on the list.
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Another day at the clown show.
As long as the Trump regime is engaged in its lawless campaign of ethnic cleansing, I would be proud to reside in a "sanctuary" city, county or town, real or imagined.