The Insurgence: Sheriffs—Episode 4: What is FAIR?

What happens when the Constitutional Sheriffs network finds an ally in the White House? In this episode, we uncover how far-right networks leveraged the power of local sheriffs to collaborate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in a nationwide crackdown on immigrants. In February 2019, ICE launched a series of raids across North Carolina, arresting over 200 undocumented people in retaliation against newly elected Black sheriffs who had pledged non-compliance with ICE. At the center of this backlash was Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page, who, with the backing of the anti-immigrant group FAIR and the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association (CSPOA), helped expand sheriffs' roles in immigration enforcement. This episode exposes how far-right forces worked strategically to use local law enforcement to broaden the criminalization of immigrants across the country.

Featured in this episode:

• Stefania Arteaga, Co-Director at Carolina Migrant Network
• Felicia Arriaga, Assistant Professor of Political Affairs at Baruch College, and author of Behind Crimmigration: ICE, Law Enforcement, and Resistance in America
• Ethan Fauré, Senior Research Analyst at Political Research Associates

Further Reading:

• Learn more about the efforts that led to North Carolina’s Mecklenburg county Sheriff Gary McFadden, campaigning on non-compliance with ICE.
• Explore sheriff department affiliations with the far right across the country in this map.
• For tools on how to challenge county sheriffs, check out this Defund Sheriffs toolkit.
• Read Felicia Arriaga’s book, Behind Crimmigration: ICE, Law Enforcement, and Resistance in America.

The Insurgence: Sheriffs is created and hosted by PRA research director, Cloee Cooper. This episode was co-written by Cloee Cooper and Camilo Garzón. Audio production, audio editing, sound design, sound engineering, sound mix, story editing, story development, and consulting production by Cuentero Productions. All under their client-facing trademark, Cuentero Transeúnte Productions™. Olivia Lawrence-Weilmann provided production assistance and creative consulting. Additional production assistance was performed by René Martin. Ethan Fauré contributed research for this episode. Original score is by Aakash Desai. The Insurgence: Sheriffs is executive produced by Political Research Associates (PRA) and Cuentero Productions.