The New Joe Arpaio? Massachusetts Sheriff Offers Inmates to Help Build Border Wall

Jan 5, 2017
8:31 AM

For all of you who think Massachusetts is the Bluest of All Blue States, meet Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson, who is now volunteering inmates to help build a border wall for President-elect Donald Trump. He suggested this plan during a swearing-in ceremony Wednesday night (Hodgson will now be serving his fourth term). A video from NBC Boston explains:

“We have inmates that are already great masons. It’s not just about masonry. It’s as simple as moving materials to the wall, maybe digging in certain areas,” Hodgson said.

Then there is this:

“We have to create a border down there that prevents jobs from being taken away from Americans that prevents criminals from coming in, including terrorists.”

But according to Hodgson, this is not political, and apparently, this non-border sheriff thinks he knows more about the border than (wait for it) people who actually live on the border.

Recently, the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) agreed to participate in ICE’s 287(g) program, which gives the BCSO “delegated authority to apprehend, detain and assist with deportation of criminal illegal immigrants locally.” It is only the third group in New England to do this.

For those keep tracking at home, Bristol County is about 2,175 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border.