The Bristol County Sheriff's Office announced on Monday that they were recently accepted into a program that will give them more power to deal with immigration issues.

The 287(g) program forms a partnership between the sheriff's office and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that gives the sheriff's office the delegated authority to "apprehend, detain and assist with deportation of criminal illegal aliens locally."

Sheriff Thomas Hodgson tells WBSM News that admission to the program will provide the sheriff's department with greater access to federal resources while also provide a benefit to ICE as well.

"There are limited number of ICE officers available to respond to different facilities," said Hodgson "this will allow them to maximize their resources, for us to carry out some of the responsibilities they have, and making sure we're using every bit of resources that we can, which is what we should be doing."

The sheriff's office is the third organization in New England to enter into the program.

This announcement comes as the New Bedford City Council is preparing to discuss a motion proposed by Councillor-at-large Debora Coelho, and supported by Ward 1 Councillor James Oliveira and Ward 4 Councillor Dana Rebeiro, which asks memers of the city's state legislative delegation to not support the mass deportation of illegal immigrants to "insure harmony and safety in our community and to not discriminate against a group of people."

While saying he believes Coelho's goals are well intentioned, Hodgson says that actions like that prevent law enforcement from getting the information they need to protect the community.

"Not having all of that information and not knowing the background and then putting these restrictions on, could create a threat or risk to the people in our community," said Hodgson.

Hodgson also says that such actions send a message to the world that the U.S. won't enforce its own laws.

That motion will be discussed when the New Bedford City Council meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

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