Photo Courtesy: @POTUS/Twitter
President Donald Trump, who made “law and order” a central issue of his campaign and enjoyed wide support among members of the law enforcement community, met with a group from the National Sheriffs’ Association at the White House on Tuesday and was given a letter of thanks for his recent executive actions to clamp down on illegal immigration.
“State and local law enforcement have, in recent years, shouldered much of the burden associated with criminal illegal immigration and the subsequent impact on our communities,” said the letter, which was signed by both the president and executive director of the National Sheriffs’ Association. “As you have recognized, our borders are not secure and we applaud your efforts to address this threat to our public safety.”
[sc name=”Article Mobile Ad” ]
Trump was joined by Vice President Mike Pence and senior advisers Jared Kushner, Steve Bannon, Reince Priebus and Stephen Miller, held a “listening session” with a group of sheriffs in the Roosevelt Room.
Trump pledged to work closely with all members of the law enforcement community to keep the American people safe and assured the sheriffs that the Trump administration will make every effort to stop drugs and crime from flowing into the country, put an end to the opioid epidemic, secure the borders to keep terrorists out, and strengthen the bonds between state, local and federal law enforcement agencies.
Jonathan Thompson, the executive director and CEO of the National Sheriffs’ Association told President Trump that six months ago he sat in the same room with President Obama and pleaded and begged for help. He continued, “Today, you’ve invited us here to your home. You’re offering help. You’re delivering on that offer. And on behalf of our members across the country, thank you.”
Jefferson County (KY) Sheriff John Aubrey brought up the issue of asset forfeiture and how that helped them fight crime until it was “curtailed” back in the previous administration. President Trump replied that “I think Congress is going to get beat up really badly by the voters because they’ve let this happen. And I think badly. I think you’ll be back in shape. So, asset forfeiture, we’re going to go back on, okay?”
The sheriffs described President Trumps support as “unprecedented” and offered their full backing of his border security and immigration policies. They expressed how encouraged they have been by the pro-law enforcement atmosphere that has swept the country in the wake of the President’s victory.
The group had an open discussion about the issues facing the law enforcement community and noted that it was an opportunity they hadn’t been given under the previous administration. At the conclusion of the meeting, the President took them to the Oval Office to honor them and show his appreciation for their outstanding work they do to keep our communities safe.
You can watch President Trump’s meeting with members of the National Sheriff’s Association below.
