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Sheriff Hodgson issues statement in response to lawsuit over ICE Detention Center

Published

2 years ago

July 26, 2022

Ken Paiva

Sheriff Hodgson has issued a statement concerning the lawsuit against the former Bristol County Immigrant Detention Center.

“The recent lawsuit brought by criminal illegal aliens previously held at the Dartmouth jail is the latest political attack against me, and the latest professional attack on the dedicated, nationally accredited corrections staff at the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office.”

“The frivolous lawsuit has no merit. We will vigorously defend it, and we will prevail.”

“A brief summary of how we got here:”

“The corrections and health care professionals at the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office did an amazing job in the toughest of circumstances when the Covid pandemic descended upon our nation in 2020. U.S. District Court Judge William Young agreed, writing that the court “acknowledges and commends the significant steps the (Bristol County Sheriff’s Office) has taken in order to prevent the spread of Covid-19 at the facility and treat anyone infected.” He also wrote that the BCSO had a “virtually perfect record of no confirmed positives among the detainee population” and he added that the court “recognizes the commendable efforts of the (BCSO) staff, who have been operating in difficult and risky conditions where much is unknown.”

“Translation: The BCSO staff, again and again, goes above and beyond, and when presented with a global pandemic that flipped the world upside down, the staff focused on what it focuses on best: the care, custody and safety of all incarcerated in Bristol County.”

“That wasn’t enough for a group of criminal illegal aliens in custody. Upset that those behind bars in Bristol County, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and around the country were getting released because of Covid and that they were still locked up, the group members all reported multiple Covid symptoms at the same time on the same day in May 2020. They were told they had to be tested and isolate to prevent the possible Covid spread. Instead of agreeing to be tested, they rioted, attacking me and correctional staff and trashing the B wing of the ICE detention center in Dartmouth.”

“These criminal illegal aliens caused $25,000 worth of damage to the facility and threatened the lives of brave corrections officers and staff.”

“The elite BCSO correctional professionals quelled the violent attack in 90 seconds, regaining control of the facility with non-lethal means, including muzzled canines and flash bangs. This operation was by-the-book, quick and clean, resulting in no serious injury to any detainees. The only person injured that whole day was myself: I’m still dealing with back and neck pain after being assaulted by criminal illegal aliens after one of them incited the riot with fake claims of abuse.”

“We encourage the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General to conclude its investigation, which is now going on two-plus years, so the video tapes of the incident at the accompanying evidence can be made public. Once this evidence is made public, we expect nothing less than a full apology from Mass. Attorney General Maura Healey, who cast a shadow on the nationally accredited BCSO staff with her sham investigation last year into the riot, and the immediate withdrawal of this frivolous lawsuit.”

This is the latest, but surely won’t be the last, political attack against me as Election Day draws closer. The people of Bristol County know this is just a political attack and it has no merit, and they can see why when the organization begging for media attention is the same woke group that constantly puts the interests of criminal illegal aliens ahead of law-abiding American citizens, and is also promoting, supporting and bank-rolling one of my political opponents this year.”