Milwaukee sheriff David Clarke takes his ‘record of racism’ to DHS, says Mil Familia Vota
This is the presser from Mi Familia Vota on Milwaukee sheriff David Clarke on going to DHS: “MFV: Milwaukee County Sheriff with Record of Racism Announces He’s Joining DHS”
Today, infamous Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke announced he would be joining the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as assistant Secretary. Although the appointment to the DHS’s Office of Public Engagement has not been confirmed by the agency, Clark’s announcement has sent shockwaves in the national news media and in communities of color.
Photo By Bill Koplitz/FEMA
Clarke has a history of making racially charged statements and of overseeing inhumane treatment of detainees under his jurisdiction. Earlier this month, a grand jury recommended criminal charges against Clarke’s staff for the death of Terrill Thomas, who was deprived of water for six days as punishment while in Clarke’s jail. The sheriff also gave full-throated support to Trump’s mass deportation agenda.
News of this appointment coincides with the release of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) statistics on enforcement actions this year. The numbers prove what advocates have been repeating all year: All immigrants, regardless of criminal conviction, are a target for deportation under President Trump’s administration.
The following is a statement by Ben Monterroso, executive director of Mi Familia Vota:
“As Milwaukee County Sheriff, David Clarke approaches the community he is supposed to protect and serve with a hostility only matched by Joe Arpaio, the former sheriff of Maricopa County, AZ. He opposes plea bargains and any other sentences other than incarceration for all major crimes.
“His vocal support of Trump’s mass deportation agenda and history of cruel practices against those serving their time under his jail system is disturbing. The Department of Homeland Security is charged with overseeing ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), two agencies in dire need of oversight. If the Trump administration follows through with the Clarke appointment, Trump will deserve the reputation as the most hostile president against communities of color, ever.”
David A. Clarke Jr. speaking at the 2017 CPAC in National Harbor, Maryland.
