Stop 287g in Bucks County: Urge Sheriff Harran to Say NO
Dear Sheriff Harran:
We, the undersigned residents of Bucks County and concerned community members, write to urge you not to enroll the Bucks County Sheriff’s Office in the 287(g) program. By deputizing law enforcement to investigate individuals’ immigration status, your office risks separating local families, undermining public trust in your office, and costing Bucks County taxpayers millions.
By joining 287(g), your deputies would gain authority to initiate deportation proceedings, even against long-time residents who have committed no crime. This program disproportionately harms immigrant families, inflicting emotional trauma and economic hardship — especially on children. In counties where 287(g) has been implemented, fear has spread, leading victims and witnesses of crimes, including domestic violence and sexual assault, to remain silent, making communities less safe.
Implementing 287(g) exposes Bucks County to legal liability. Jurisdictions that joined this program have faced civil rights complaints, lawsuits, and multimillion-dollar settlements — expenses often borne entirely by the local taxpayer.
The financial burden is significant. Counties like Mecklenburg, North Carolina, have spent over $5 million to set up 287(g), and according to a Government Accountability Office report, 62% of participating counties received no federal reimbursement. Local budgets could be strained with no added public safety benefit.
The economic repercussions extend beyond legal costs. In Maricopa County, Arizona, Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s participation in 287(g) led to more than $70 million in legal damages and widespread boycotts that damaged the local economy. We fear that if Bucks County follows suit, immigrant workers, students, parishioners, and consumers may avoid the area, harming our communities and small businesses.
287(g) also has a troubling track record of enabling racial profiling and discriminatory policing. In states like Arizona, Georgia, and North Carolina, courts have found that the program led to systemic abuses, with people being arrested for minor infractions — such as traffic violations or fishing without a license — simply to funnel them into deportation proceedings. If Bucks County participates in 287(g), hardworking residents — parents, employees, students — will be targeted while going about their daily lives and not for posing any threat to public safety.
Sheriff Harran, we urge you to reconsider entering Bucks County into this harmful and costly program. We also ask that you hold a community forum for Bucks County residents so we have the opportunity to ask questions and have our concerns heard by you before your office moves forward.\
