Sheriff Discusses Biden’s Immigration Orders and Border Wall Halt

President Biden orders a “pause” on border wall construction. Horizonte host, Jose Cardenas talked with Cochise County Sheriff Dannels about his assessment of the current situation at the Southern border along with his perspective on stopping construction of the border wall and other immigration Executive Orders signed by President Biden.

Dannels has served on the border for 37 years. He said all of the people that serve at the border have a positive and collective effort. Biden stopped all work on the border wall soon after becoming president. Dannels said he got to be part of the Biden transition team with a group of sheriffs on behalf of the National Sheriffs Association. This transition team helped Biden shift into the presidency effectively and remotely. There, Dannels and other sheriffs spoke about what is working and what is not. Dannels said he has a virtual system that has been working well for them. We talked about programs, camera usage, and stopping apprehensions.

Dannels’s biggest concern as a sheriff right now is going backward and “not take the lessons forward.” He thinks we need to have a “collective dialog.” He wants to find out what is working and is not working and how to find a place in the middle. The sheriff said that they don’t need politics “inserted into policing”. We talk about what has not been working over the past 4 years. He said they have seen a lack of funding and an impact on local government. He said they also have seen 100% prosecution when it comes to smuggling.

We talk about the wall and if it has slowed down the traffic. Dannels’s said it is the best it has been in 30 years according to what he has seen and what the locals have seen. They will continue dialoguing and talking with federal leaders. To find out how undocumented border crossers are returned home.