Riverton, Utah, Mayor Trent Staggs released a statement Thursday saying he was "horrified to learn" that the state had been declared a sanctuary state by the Salt Lake City Field Office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) earlier this year.
Staggs was just as horrified over the reason — ICE cited lack of support from state and local officials for the designation.
"Public service is a public trust to uphold the laws duly enacted. We must rectify all limitations and restrictions in Utah that impede ICE from enforcing our nation's immigration laws," Staggs wrote.
Staggs was reacting to an ICE memo with the subject line, "Sanctuary State Designation for the State of Utah," dated May 31, 2023.
Salt Lake City Field Office Director Michael Bernacke authored the memo and in it, unilaterally made that decision in the memo:
"I am designating the State of Utah as a sanctuary state," wrote Bernacke.
Specifically, the memo from ICE details the "terminations of intergovernmental service agreements" with ICE by three county sheriffs in 2016 (Utah County), 2022 (Cache Co) and 2023 (Washington Co).
"These terminations have ended ICE's ability to detain foreign nationals on a long-term basis (over 72 hours)," Bernacke's memo read, stating that the field office could no longer provide "additional bed capacity to detain and remove inadmissible foreign nationals."
Staggs, who is running for the Senate seat vacated by retiring Sen. Mitt Romney, called on Utah officials to work with ICE to enforce the rule of law.
"I was horrified to learn that the Salt Lake City Field Office of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had to designate Utah earlier this year as a sanctuary state," Staggs said in the statement. "Over two-thirds of arrested illegal immigrants last fiscal year were released back into our neighborhoods due to a lack of cooperation from local authorities. Many of these individuals are repeat offenders of violent and sexual crimes."
Staggs was citing the Bernacke memo, which said it detained just 33% (1,396) of illegals arrested while releasing the rest, or 2,820 foreign nationals, over a six-month period (Oct. 2, 2022-April 30, 2023).
"Utah now ranks with the Democrat states of Washington, New York, Illinois, and California as sanctuary states that mock the rule of law. This will not end well if not promptly course corrected. I call on Governor Spencer Cox, Senate President Stuart Adams, and House Speaker Brad Wilson to lay aside agendas and consider the consequences of continuing down this path," Staggs wrote.
Wilson last month that he's resigning from the Utah Legislature and will make a run at Romney's seat.
The Bernacke memo also detailed "word of mouth amongst migrants is that Utah is a location where they will likely not be deported."
"The field office is also observing migrants who recently crossed the border are relocating from sanctuary states like New York and Illinois to Utah due to the lessened risk for deportation," the memo read.
Newsmax has reached out to Gov. Cox's office for comment.
"Invoking compassion without action only invites chaos. Not all illegal immigrants are violent lawbreakers but maintaining the non-detention status quo in our state only welcomes more criminality to Utah. The kindest gesture is to rid unlawfulness from our society so all can enjoy the domestic tranquility and security of the blessings of liberty," Staggs concluded.
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
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