Blaine County Republican Central Committee Statement on ICE Raid Rumors

The recent hysteria surrounding supposed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in Blaine County and throughout Idaho is a manufactured crisis, and it’s no coincidence that the same groups and activists fueling these rumors are the ones that stand to benefit from the fear they create. Organizations that advocate for illegal immigrants—and receive funding to do so—bear responsibility for any panic that may exist in the immigrant and Latino community.

We’ve also heard absurd and false rumors that volunteers from the Blaine County Republican Party are planning to set up barricades to check IDs, as if private citizens would suddenly and spontaneously assume the role of law enforcement. Our committee has been approached about this rumor by local elected officials and others in the community. It’s a laughable suggestion and seriously undermines the credibility of the people in our community who are initiating such rumors.

Rather than peddling fear and misinformation, organizations spreading rumors to further their political agenda would do far more good by assisting illegal immigrants with the process of returning to their home countries. Enabling the violation of federal immigration laws while inciting needless chaos merely postpones the inevitable. Instead of working against law enforcement and sowing division in our communities, these groups should redirect their efforts toward helping individuals safely navigate legal pathways or making necessary arrangements to comply with immigration laws.

Furthermore, if and when ICE deems it appropriate to conduct operations in Blaine County, we assume the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office will cooperate fully to ensure that dangerous individuals who are in our community are removed. When Americans returned President Donald Trump to the White House, they sent a strong message of support for our federal government to enforce laws and protect our communities. We ask our sheriff to cooperate with federal law enforcement to ensure the safety of Blaine County citizens.