SALT LAKE CITY — With President-elect Trump returning to the White House in less than two weeks, promising to launch the largest deportation of illegal immigrants in our country's history, Utah leaders are responding.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and sheriffs across the state sent a letter to incoming federal authorities, asking for some changes.
There are still a lot of questions to be answered, but here's what we know so far.
In the letter, the main ask is for a change of leadership at the Salt Lake City Field Office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. They want current director Michael Bernacke removed.
Also, none of the Utah jail facilities are ICE detention centers, so those facing deportation are taken to facilities in Las Vegas.
To make Utah jails qualify as deportation detention centers, Weber County Sheriff Ryan Arbon explained that they are asking for more resources, staffing and funding.
"We've only heard rumors of what might be happening in Utah. I don't know of a step-by-step plan, I don’t know what the plan is, I don’t know how it’s going to be executed, there’s been no signal or communication about the resources needed. Right now, the only thing that I have heard is that they’re interested in jail space,” said Sheriff Arbon. “And then how that space is utilized, we may be able to accommodate. In Weber County, we have two facilities: We have our 12th Street facility and our downtown facility that’s on a soft close right now, but its viable, it’s workable and could be used for this."
Sheriff Arbon said in order to be an ICE detention center, there are hundreds of pages of guidelines to follow, including having a separate entrance, a different barber, and access to special lotions and oils, among other things.
