By Mike McCombs
The Island News
A half dozen members of the Sun City Democrats delivered a box containing 336 letters to the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) on Thursday, Oct. 23.
The letters, addressed to Beaufort County Sheriff P.J. Tanner, are in opposition to the BCSO’s 287g agreement to work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The small group present was representing a larger group of Sun City Democrats that had attended a meeting with Tanner in September at the Bluffton Library. The letters were written by those members, as well as affiliated groups north and south of the Broad River.
Some members believe the agreement will actually make Beaufort County less safe by affecting the willingness of some residents to contact law enforcement in response to crimes being committed because of the Sheriff’s involvement with immigration control.
“Of course, we’re concerned like everybody else these days about inhumane treatment of immigrants,” member Mike McClure said. “We’d like to make sure they get treated with dignity and have due process.”
Kathleen Leopard said when citizens met with Sheriff Tanner, “it was evident the people did not want this,” but she said she didn’t feel like the Sheriff listened to their concerns at all.
“We were very clear in what we said …,” she said. “He really didn’t want to hear it. He was there to convince us that he was right, and that was it.”
The small group gathered with signs for 45 minutes or so in front of the Beaufort County Government Building on the corner of Ribaut Road and Boundary Street before carrying the box of letters to the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office on Duke Street, where they delivered them to Lt. Langford of the BCSO.
McClure wasn’t sure Tanner would ever see the letters, and if he did, it may not matter.
“I would guess he won’t read a single letter,” he said.
“I would guess he’ll continue to say he’s right and we’re wrong,” Leopard added.
Mike McCombs is the editor of The Island News and can be reached at TheIslandNews@gmail.com.
