Bristol County Massachusetts Sheriff Thomas Hodgson is offering to let his inmates build President-elect Donald Trump's wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Hodgson told the Boston Herald that he has proposed to the Trump transition team sending "eight to 10" inmates with a guard to start work on the massive wall. And, Hodgson noted, he was informed by other sheriffs throughout the U.S. that they are willing to join in.
"A lot of the sheriffs across the nation want to use this resource," the sheriff said. "This is a chance for us to save taxpayers' money. It's long overdue.
"We need to turn this country around and put law and order back in place.
Hodgson's proposal is based on Project N.I.C.E., (National Inmates Community Endeavors), a federal prison program designed to aid those needing help after natural disasters.
"Project N.I.C.E. extends beyond rebuilding cities and towns to nationwide projects that have a positive impact on our communities and public safety. Projects like President-elect Donald Trump's border wall," Hodgson said during his swearing-in speech on Wednesday.
"That's why today, I am making a formal offer to President-elect Trump that inmates from Bristol County and others from across the nation through Project N.I.C.E. will help build the wall.
"Aside from learning and perfecting construction skills, the symbolism of these inmates building a wall to prevent crime in communities around the country, and to preserve jobs and work opportunities for them and other Americans upon release, can be very powerful."
The Washington Examiner reports that immigration experts are praising the sheriff's proposal.
"If any of the inmates working on the wall are criminal aliens from south of the border, they'll be that much closer for deportation," the Examiner quotes Jessica Vaughan of the Center for Immigration Studies.
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