Sheriff James Cummings
BARNSTABLE – A proposed federal immigration bill is getting the backing of a local official.
Barnstable County Sheriff Jim Cummings has announced his support for the federal immigration enforcement bill, which was introduced by Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama).
Cummings said he backs a number of specific provisions in the proposed legislation, including one that would increase the authority of sheriffs and law enforcement to hold detained illegal immigrants charged with crimes.
“If somebody is arrested and they’re brought to the correctional facility to be held on bail, and they’re an illegal alien, if someone shows up here with their bail money we have no other alternative but to release them,” Cummings said. “We have had issues right here in the Bourne facility.”
Cummings said the bill would provide sheriffs with the authority to honor federal detainers.
Cummings added that he supports six other specific provisions of the bill, including one to increase the authority of states and local officials to establish and enforce their own laws on immigration. He supports a section to require Homeland Security to make available information on immigration status to the National Crime Information Center database.
The sheriff backs another provision that would provide grants to state and local police for equipment and funding for investigations into illegal immigrants who have violated immigration laws.
Cummings, a Republican, recently announced that he would be seeking a fourth term as Barnstable County Sheriff in 2016. This year, he has a challenger, Falmouth Democrat Randy Azzato.
