On Immigration, Two Viewpoints Can Both Be Valid
By Bill Brown, Santa Barbara County Sheriff
Last week at the U. S. Capitol, in one of my final duties as president of the Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA), I presented Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota with our organization’s Legislator of the Year Award for her commitment to public safety and her record of collaborative problem solving. In accepting the award, Senator Klobuchar said, “I always believe that courage is not standing by yourself yelling at people in the Chamber, but courage is whether you’re willing to stand next to someone you don’t always agree with for the betterment of this country.”
In a statement I wrote on the recent events in Minneapolis, I said the tragic shooting deaths of Renee Good, a 37 year old mother, and Alex Pretti, a 37 year old nurse, were gut-wrenching tragedies. I also said the investigations into both should be allowed to conclude before judgement is cast, and I expressed concern that inaccurate and provocative remarks made by political leaders on both sides of the aisle exacerbate polarization and make the goal of achieving bipartisan immigration reform even more elusive.
At a subsequent protest rally held in Santa Barbara, several local elected officials demanded I speak out against federal law enforcement actions and explain how the Sheriff’s Office can protect the community from immigration enforcement. In response to my statement, Second District Supervisor Laura Capps told the crowd, “I disagree with the Sheriff. This is not a moment for both side’s language.”
Actually, there should always be room for differing perspectives. Differences matter. All voices should be heard and considered—especially now—without demonizing one another. Two things can be, and often are, true at the same time. We should be cautious of groupthink, and understand that alternative ways of thinking don’t cancel each other out.
During the past year I have spoken about immigration enforcement publicly and repeatedly, at Board of Supervisors meetings, during an in-depth interview with a respected local journalist, at community meetings and, most recently, I released the above-referenced remarks on the troubling events in Minneapolis. Contrary to the rhetoric, I have not been silent on this issue. I just haven’t said what some people have wanted to hear.
In all of my communications I have made it crystal clear that the Sheriff’s Office protects and serves everyone in our community, regardless of their immigration status. We do not want anyone who is undocumented to hesitate to call us if they are a victim of crime, or if they witness to a crime. We do not enforce or assist in enforcing federal immigration law in our community, except as sparingly permitted by state law in our jails. I have also said – numerous times – that local law enforcement does not have authority over federal agencies carrying out their duties in our county. Accordingly, we do not interfere with federal law enforcement operations, just as we expect that they will not interfere in ours.
Anger at the aggressiveness and scope of the federal government’s immigration enforcement actions is understandable. The surge in these operations and the two shootings in Minneapolis have heightened emotions and outrage across the nation and here at home. I share many of the concerns that have been expressed about the shootings and intensified enforcement actions.
The fear and heartbreak experienced by undocumented people in our community, especially those whose loved ones have been detained or deported, is real and distressing. Across political lines, many of us recognize that people who entered this country in violation of immigration law, or who were brought here as children but have otherwise been law-abiding, often for decades, are usually good, productive people who contribute very positively to our communities and economy. Many have become business owners and reliable employees who work in agriculture, construction, the hospitality and service industries, in providing child and medical care, and in other trusted positions. They have become our neighbors, colleagues and friends. Some have given birth to children who are American citizens. Given their situation, current law should be changed so that these long-term residents and Dreamers could be properly vetted and offered a path to legal residency and work approval. As both Presidents Clinton and Obama have stated, “We are a nation of immigrants, but we are also a nation of laws.”
At the same time, we must always be willing to acknowledge difficult truths. While the vast majority of those who have entered this country illegally did so in search of a better life and have remained otherwise law-abiding, there have also been many serious crimes committed by unlawful entrants. Americans across our nation worry about criminal activity by members of violent gangs, organized theft groups, smugglers and dealers of illicit and often lethal drugs (which killed almost 350 people in our county in just the last three years), and other serious and violent crime committed by undocumented criminals. These have included some notorious homicides here in Santa Barbara County, including the brutal murder of Marilyn Pharis, a 64-year-old Air Force veteran who was sexually assaulted, strangled and fatally beaten with a hammer by a repeat undocumented offender who broke into her home in Santa Maria in 2015. The following year, during a sting called Operation Matador in Santa Maria, 13 of the 16 suspects arrested for the MS-13 gang-related murders of 10 victims – and the attempted murder of 14 others – were identified by ICE as undocumented. These heartbreaking tragedies underscore the need for immigration law and enforcement reforms that protect public safety while still upholding our collective values.
Over the past two years, while president of the MCSA, I engaged directly and candidly with members of both the Biden and Trump administrations, as well as with members of Congress and other law enforcement leaders, on the issues of border security, immigration enforcement, their impact on local jurisdictions, and the urgent need for reform. As MCSA president, I was present at the White House when the bi-partisan supported Laken Riley Act was signed into law in January 2025. This law was named after a 24-year-old nursing student who was assaulted with intent to commit rape and beaten to death by an undocumented, repeat offender in Georgia in 2024. The Act requires the Department of Homeland Security to detain undocumented criminals who are arrested for certain crimes like burglary, assault on a peace officer, and some thefts, several of which her killer had previously committed. Although I recently passed the gavel to a new MCSA president, I’ll continue my efforts as a member of its executive board, advocating for secure borders and fair, effective, and humane enforcement practices that will keep our nation and its communities safe.
It’s important to remember that Americans don’t think alike on undocumented immigration. A January 20, 2026 Harvard CAPS (Center of American Political Studies) / Harris Poll of 2,000 likely voters, divided almost equally between Democrats, Republicans and Independents, showed that the vast majority favored the deportation of undocumented immigrants who have committed violent crime (82%), any crime (73%), and a majority of them (52%) still supported the deportation of all immigrants who are here without legal status. With our nation split in half on the issue of immigration enforcement, there is plenty of contention on both sides.
Even though we are polarized, we are all part of the same democratic republic. Again, listening to one another is important. Each side has valid points to make, and both sides matter. Although our country is deeply divided on immigration, sooner or later we must find a solution to this problem. This complex and deeply emotional issue will only be resolved through meaningful changes to existing immigration law, with related changes in enforcement policy, training and practices. I believe there are some areas where consensus or compromise is possible. That change should include thoughtful reform that properly addresses border security and public safety, while at the same time ensuring fairness, proportionality, and humanity in enforcement and detention operations. That reform should also allow federal authorities appropriate access to our nation’s jails, so they can safely take undocumented criminal offenders into custody there, instead of doing so unsafely and alarmingly in our neighborhoods.
In the meantime, everyone should adhere to the law, and it should be enforced fairly, courteously and professionally. We can support the law, or we can work to change it, while still having empathy and compassion for others. We must support the right to peaceful protest and civil discourse, whether we agree or disagree with what’s being said. Respect and decency must remain the standard.
Abraham Lincoln once warned that “a house divided against itself cannot stand.” While the challenges before us are complex and difficult, we owe it to one another to engage on issues respectfully, seek common ground, and urge our congressional leaders to work together in good faith, compromise, and craft and pass comprehensive bipartisan immigration reform. That is the key to meaningful change in the immigration quandary.
Op-Ed’s are written by community members, not representatives of edhat. The views and opinions expressed in Op-Ed articles are those of the author’s.
[Do you have an opinion on something local? Share it with us at info@edhat.com.]
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This is definitely wishy-washy both-siding, with the subtext that the sheriff is blind to the illegal actions of the feds.
Exactly, most people do agree there are problems with the immigration system. And that people should follow the rules to be here. That’s not the issue of the day, the issue is the masked lawless thugs terrorizing our communities. There is no “both sides” to that. Take a stand. You lost my vote today, Bill, no doubt.
“I always believe that courage is not standing by yourself yelling at people in the Chamber, but courage is whether you’re willing to stand next to someone you don’t always agree with for the betterment of this country.”
Very well said Sheriff Brown. Thank you for your service.
“service”. He is very well paid with an incredible tax payer retirement.
Senator Klobuchar said that, not Sheriff Brown.
Bees this is YOUR typical both-sidesism that you love to project. There is no equivalence to NAZl authoritarianism. To suggest otherwise is vile and disgusting. Thanks for letting us know you support ICE becoming militarized and terrorizing brown people and the citizens who come to their defense.
Less crime per capita is committed by those whose who are undocumented.
He should have penned a resignation. Another Repuglican do nothing blowhard siding with fascism. Stop the militarization of ICE and thr brutalization of citizens and undocumented migrants. There is no “both sides” when fighting hate. Coward.
Every day in the news I hear the strident voices from the left, strident voices from the right, shouting out their opinions on immigration. It gives me hope when I read the measured and reasoned words of Sheriff Brown. We are fortunate to have him as a guardian of the law.
He’s guarding the ICE lawbreakers, if he’s guarding anything besides ovrertime requests.
Your comment is rather strident.
I’m a veteran. My (service specific) uniform had a name tag and unit identification. I was not allowed to wear a grab bag of clothes from the 5.11 store or a mask. If I shot an unarmed man in the back in a battle, I would have been arrested and sent to court martial because it’s a war crime. You must obey the law if you have the authority to enforce it.
Brown is up for reelection. He took an oath to the constitution that he clearly cannot honor. Stop rubber stamping his reelection to this position and show him the door. MAGA needs to be treated like a disease.
President Eisenhower once said the most dangerous place to stand was in the center of a road. The Sheriff wants it both ways and as a result, he has received the ire of both sides. Urging others to solve the problem only deflects from what you also can do. Sorry, Mr. Brown, but it is time to retire as you are just roadkill standing where you are now.
There’s a Texas saying that I learned from Jim Hightower: Th only things you find in the middle of the road are yellow stripes and dead armadillos.
Sheriff Brown has allowed 21 million in overtime. 5.9 million of that is a questionable practice where officers manipulate their time cards so that they use vacation and sick days and can bill more in overtime. The buck stops at the Sheriff. This should have never gotten this high. His office is supporting ICE by stopping citizens from following ICE. as reported in the Independent. ICE is breaking laws by ignoring due process, judicial warrants, phone calls, right to attorney and even knowing where someone is taken. There is no middle ground for breaking our constitutional rights. Instead of Brown apologizing for 21 million in overtime he uses fear to say that citizens would not like the alternatives. Try us. When Parks and Rec is closing kids camps, charging the bubble guy, the drum circle, the polar plungers maybe Brown can stop taking an oversized bite out of the General Fund. Instead of owning his failure to lead he justifies and obscene over run. Poor leadership and a lot of arrogance.
Exactly. Every damn year he gets up there and cries for a budget increase. Every. Damn. Year.
Why do we have “leadership” that is incompetent when it comes to managing their budgets? That would never fly in the private sector–and it applies to schools and public services as well–Sheriff’s office is just particularly egregious because of the fear mongering they use to justify their fat overtime pay days.
They very rarely stop crimes from happening, slash their budgets until they learn how to manage their finances.
It’s amusing to read the comments from people who don’t understand that federal laws supersede state and local laws. Whatever Brown and the protesters think about immigration policy is largely irrelevant.
ZIpS – no, what is amusing is watching you smugly and wrongfully think you have any idea of what you’re talking about. Read more about the Constitution. You’re woefully uneducated on it.
Please use legal citations to show me where I’m wrong.
ZIPs – read my response to MARCEL. I’ve said this many times here. When there is no federal law, there is no superseding. When a local law is applied for safety concerns such as speeding, other traffic laws, federal agents must comply. It’s not as cut and dry as you folks think everything is.
sac, the supremacy clause is a real thing:
“This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.”
But what it DOESN’T say is “ICE is federal so they can do whatever they want”, unlike what fascist magabreaths seem to think. There are no federal laws mandating that officers wear face masks or fail to identify themselves; in fact, per 8 CFR § 287.8, immigration officers must identify themselves as such and state the reason for an arrest “as soon as it is practical and safe to do so”.
So Judge Snyder upheld the new CA law requiring ICE agents (and others) to visibly display identification, on the basis that it doesn’t interfere with their duties and thus doesn’t fall to the supremacy clause. She struck down the new law forbidding them to wear face masks, but for a different reason: that CA law only applies to feds, not to state and local LE so she ruled that it is discriminatory. But she said that such a law does not interfere with their duties, so I expect the legislature to amend the law to apply to *all* LE, not just feds.
MARCEL – I’m very familiar with it, thanks 🙂
There are many exceptions though and yes, you are absolutely correct about ICE having free reign.
What Snyder did was, in my opinion, appropriate. The law, like all others that would survive the Supremacy Clause, should have been written to apply to ALL LE, not just federal. I was surprised it didn’t. The exceptions to the Clause are those where local laws do not have federal counterparts, such as speeding, etc. A federal agent can’t violate local speed limit, even though they are federal, for example. Since there’s no federal law about LE wearing masks, if the local law requires all LE to do so, then the Clause would not apply unless it significantly interfered with their duties. Another exception would be in cases of health, such as with cannabis. States can devise their own laws despite the federal laws on the subject.
My point was, when MAGAts with no Constitutional knowledge say that ANY local law is automatically superseded, it’s not really accurate.
I’ve asked you before to name the federal laws being superseded, but I don’t think you even understand the question.
A California court just upheld the “No Vigilantes Act” which requires ICE (among other LE) to display their name or badge number while on duty.
Marcel – Easy fix. Require all law enforcement personnel to have their badge/employee ID number on their uniform where their name is usually placed. No doubt there are many cops sharing the same last name and I’m confident cops do not have the same badge or personnel ID number.
LOL, the naïveté’ is impressive. Certainly none of these guys who delight in beating the crap out of people, terrorizing them and insulting them, would ever consider sticking on a fake number to protect their anonymity.
No, show their faces, show who they are, because all of this BS about agents being doxxed and in jeopardy is just that, BS. Show me a single instance of an ICE agent or their family being harmed in their private lives.
No, in a Democracy, police and security forces must be accountable as a whole and individually and whatever minuscule and improbable risk may exist to them is part of their job and their duty–the safety and rights of those they are PAID TO SERVE, i.e., us, the taxpayers, is more important than their individual safety.