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Public commenter warns DOJ grant could expand immigration detention in Raleigh County
Summary
At the July 20 meeting, public commenter Kirk Crabtree said a Department of Justice grant application RCPD is pursuing repeatedly references 'criminal illegal aliens' and, if funded, could shift local jail operations and policing toward immigration detention; commissioners heard the remarks during public comment.
Kirk Crabtree, a member of the public who gave his address to the commission, warned the Raleigh County Police Department’s application for a Department of Justice grant repeatedly frames immigration as a criminal matter and, if awarded, would change local policing and jail operations.
"If RCPD wins this award then our community could receive up to $31,000,000 in grant money to improve and upgrade our jail and RCPD operations at no cost to local taxpayers," Crabtree said, quoting the deputy director’s description of the program. He added the grant materials he reviewed used the phrase "criminal illegal aliens" multiple times and said the program’s stated activities include "location, apprehension, detention, investigation, prosecution, and enforcement activities related to criminal legal aliens."
Crabtree told commissioners he believes those provisions would “force our jail to become an immigration detention facility” and would "obligate our sworn law enforcement officers to become slave patrols for the locating, apprehending, and detaining of undocumented individuals in our community." He urged the commission to consider those potential consequences when overseeing or approving RCPD’s pursuit of federal funding.
The remarks came during the public-comment portion of the July 20 meeting and were delivered before commissioners moved into regular business. Commissioners did not take an immediate vote or directive in response to Crabtree’s comments during the meeting.
Why it matters: The county’s decision to pursue federal grants can shape how local agencies allocate resources and partner with federal authorities. Questions raised in public comment highlight community concerns about scope and conditions of grant-funded programs and whether those programs alter the county’s role in immigration enforcement.
Next steps: The commission’s prior action to allow RCPD to pursue the grant was taken at an earlier meeting; Crabtree’s comments were recorded during the public-comment period and may be raised again if the commission or RCPD return with grant acceptance, use-of-funds details, or conditional terms.
