Pennsylvania's Only Jewish Sheriff Decries 'Holocaust-Era Language' Used Against Him Over ICE Partnership Plan

Bucks County Sheriff Fred Harran has denounced what he is describing as "Holocaust-era language" used against him amid growing opposition to his proposal for a partnership with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Harran, the only Jewish sheriff in Pennsylvania, released a statement this week calling the rhetoric used to criticize him "deeply offensive" as he continues to receive challenges to his department's application to join the federal 287(g) program, which allows local law enforcement to perform limited immigration enforcement duties under ICE supervision.

The controversy revolves around Harran's push for 12 of his 76 deputies to be trained under the 287(g) task force model, as the Philadelphia Inquirer, which first received Harran's statement, reports.

Harran insists the initiative is focused solely on public safety, claiming deputies would only identify individuals already in custody who are wanted for criminal charges and who may be subject to federal immigration warrants. "We're not talking about immigration sweeps or house-to-house raids," he said. "This is about people with serious charges and outstanding warrants."

Critics argue that the program will erode trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement, invite racial profiling, and open the county to costly liabilities. Civil rights and immigrant advocacy groups, including the NAACP, ACLU, and Immigrant Rights Action, voiced opposition at a news conference Wednesday reported by local ABC 6 Action News.

"This is not just about immigration, this is a civil rights issue," said Adrienne King, president of the Bucks County chapter of the NAACP. "We feel that it's going to increase the fear and tear down the bridges that have been built with our neighbors across the county."

"I feel those that will suffer most are victims that will not report, criminals that will not be caught and voices who will not be heard," added Heidi Roux, the executive director of Immigrant Rights Action.

Harran emphasized that participation in the program does not involve proactive immigration enforcement. "We're not checking immigration status at traffic stops or investigating people randomly," he told WHYY News. He said safeguards would be in place to confirm active warrants before any ICE notification occurs.

The Bucks County application for the ICE 287(g) program is currently pending federal review and approval.