On Monday’s “PBS NewsHour,” Mecklenburg County, NC Commissioner George Dunlap (D) argued that “if Border Patrol, ICE agents were doing their jobs, they would be at the border, stopping people from crossing, as they suggested that they would do.”
“PBS NewsHour” Correspondent William Brangham asked, “In the last few days, the man who is running these operations, Gregory Bovino, has been posting photographs of some of the people that they allege that they have been arresting. And they are saying that these people are guilty of crimes like DUIs, hit-and-runs, aggravated assaults. And they’re arguing these people should be removed from your community and you should be grateful for this. What is your response to that?”
Dunlap responded, “Well, my thought is that, if Border Patrol, ICE agents were doing their jobs, they would be at the border, stopping people from crossing, as they suggested that they would do. Nobody’s upset at the fact that they go after hardened criminals, but we have not heard any information about hardened criminals that they’ve arrested, none at all. I just can’t help but believe that they’re here to wreak havoc on the community, to divide families. People are hurting, people are upset, this community is not accustomed to that. Out of respect, I think they owe the community leaders an opportunity to engage and have conversation. If they really, really wanted to reduce crime in our community, then they should have a target[ed] focus and at least let us know what it is that they’re trying to do. It’s possible that they could get help if they really wanted to go after hardened criminals, but that’s not what they’re doing.”
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