Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill is sticking to his guns. He’s turning down requests to use Las Vegas police officers for immigration enforcement. It’s a perfect example of limited government in action.
What’s Happening
McMahill said he has rejected “numerous requests from various different federal agencies” to use the Metropolitan Police Department for immigration work outside their limited jail role.
“And I just won’t do that,” McMahill told the Las Vegas Review-Journal, adding that his agency doesn’t have the resources to do so. “I’ve got a lot going on when it comes to crime here,” he explained.
McMahill noted that crime has continued to decrease in Las Vegas over the last three years under his department’s current approach.
Governor Lombardo’s Stance
Former Sheriff Joe Lombardo, now Nevada’s Governor, shares a similar view. Lombardo told the Review-Journal this week that immigration enforcement had increased in Nevada, but “not substantially.”
The Governor described ICE collaboration as a “resource issue” focused on the “ability to handle calls for service as their primary mission versus rounding up illegal aliens.”
This shows the continuity in thinking between the current and former sheriffs.
How Metro Complies with Federal Law
Metro Police strictly follows the Laken Riley Act, which Congress passed with support from both parties. For years, Metro has honored ICE holds on migrants with federal warrants and reported inmates accused of violent crimes, DUI, and domestic violence. Reviewjournal
The Laken Riley Act expanded this list. Metro amended its policy last month to also alert ICE if an inmate is in custody for additional crimes, including theft, larceny, shoplifting, and assaulting a police officer.
McMahill is clear about following the law:
“We have this conversation all the time that people think that police make the laws. We don’t,” McMahill said. “The Laken Riley Act was passed by all of our individuals that were elected to Congress today on both sides of the aisle.”
Mineral County Is the Exception
While most Nevada law enforcement agencies avoid active immigration enforcement, Mineral County is the exception. Mineral County Sheriff’s Office signed an agreement with ICE in mid-February for participation in the task force program, which would involve conducting immigration enforcement in the community.
Douglas County also recently signed an agreement with ICE, making it the first jurisdiction in Nevada in years to participate in the 287(g) program. However, they’ve clarified that they only participate in the jail-based “warrant service officer” model.
Sheriff Daniel Coverley emphasized this restriction, noting that officers are not going out into the community profiling people based on ethnicity, nor asking victims or witnesses about immigration status. “The only time this comes into play is when you’ve been arrested and charged with a crime and are booked into our jail,” he said.
Unlike these rural counties, Metro Police serving has a much larger population to serve and different priorities.
Why It Matters for Conservatives
This is about core conservative principles:
- Local Control: A local sheriff is deciding how to use local resources, not federal agencies.
- Fiscal Responsibility: McMahill says his department doesn’t have the resources for immigration enforcement. Using police for tasks they aren’t funded for wastes taxpayer money.
- Focus on Local Priorities: “We are focused on people that are wanted for crimes that they’ve committed in our community,” McMahill said. This keeps police focused on making your neighborhood safer.
What’s At Stake
The stakes are high. McMahill pointed out that if Metro is deemed non-compliant with federal immigration policies, they could lose about $30 million in funding for programs and personnel.
He was specific about future possibilities:
“There are no plans for Metro to enter formal agreements with ICE and its 287(g) programs, but that could change “if the federal government passes a law that requires it to.”
What’s Next?
Federal agencies are stepping up immigration enforcement in Southern Nevada. McMahill noted that various federal agencies have been tasked for immigration enforcement locally, including the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
He said:
“I don’t think they were necessarily set up to go do what the administration wanted them to do, but I think they’re certainly increasing their activity here in Southern Nevada and across the state,”
Remember, this isn’t about whether immigration laws should be enforced. It’s about who should enforce them and with whose money. That’s a core conservative principle worth protecting.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
