OPINION| Chris McCarthy: Tom Hodgson is America’s Sheriff

Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson is finally getting the focus he deserves on immigration policy.

Since America elected Donald J. Trump as the president, immigration and particularly illegal immigration has been receiving the proper attention. For too long there was a bipartisan agreement to ignoring illegal immigration at the federal level. The border was unsecured and illegal aliens poured over and headed for jobs and government benefits they shouldn't have been eligible to receive. Wages were kept artificially low because of this surplus labor supply.

Because these aliens broke the law to come into the country and continued their criminal behavior with identity theft to work and receive government benefits it isn't a shock that they commit more crimes than legal immigrants. The result of these criminal aliens is dead and injured Americans and legal immigrants seeking a better life.

Sheriff Hodgson was working to "Make America Safe Again" when Donald Trump was still decades away from the White House. The sheriff had heard the reports of illegal aliens being caught at the border with the knowledge that they should head to Massachusetts for jobs and benefits. This meant his people were in danger from foreign criminals seeking the permissive environment created by left-wing politicians in Massachusetts.

Mayors and city councilors in Massachusetts have preached the benefits of illegals aliens for years. Some governors have looked the other way or worse. Governor Deval Patrick ordered the state police not to assist in rounding up illegal aliens. Meanwhile, the citizens of the state were dying from illegal drugs sold by illegal aliens and others were slaughtered at the hands of people who never should have been in the country.

Among the few speaking out in elected office has been Sheriff Hodgson. And now the federal government is listening to his ideas and adopting them too. Knowing sanctuary cities are a magnet for illegal aliens, he recommended the local officials who are breaking the law to create these magnets be arrested. He first made that proposal to Congress a year ago and just recently the Trump administration's director of Homeland Security made the same recommendation.

Yesterday Sheriff Hodgson was among a small group of sheriffs to meet with the President of the United States at the White House. Today the sheriff is returning for additional meetings at the White House. Tom Hodgson is being listened to and America will be safe again.

Editor's Note: Chris McCarthy is the midday host on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from 10 a.m.- Noon. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.