A Dane County sheriff met with President Donald Trump Tuesday to advocate for funding for programs to counter the county’s drug epidemic and for cooperation between the federal and local governments on immigration.
“I have a jail [with] over 1,000 beds. Eighty percent [of the inmates] suffer from chronic drug and alcohol addiction,” Sheriff David Mahoney told the president at a National Sheriff’s Association executive board meeting, according to a press release.
After questions from Trump about drug-related crime in the county, Mahoney said that 80 percent of Dane County’s crime is caused by not only heroin and opioids, but also prescription painkillers that result in overdoses at “a much higher level.”
“I’m averaging 12, 15 overdoses a week in my community,” Mahoney told the president. “We need help from DEA, FBI, and our task forces. We need them to be adequately funded and led by leaders who want to work collectively with our nation’s sheriffs.”
Mahoney also told Trump that Dane County is looking for immigration reform and a more efficient way for a “good immigrant” to obtain citizenship in our country.
Trump agreed with Mahoney’s concern, but added that there are people who want to see our borders and country secure.
“There’s a group of people out there—massive, massive numbers, far bigger than what you see protesting,” Trump said. “And if those people ever protested, you would see a real protest. But they want to see our borders secure and our country secure, and they want to see people that can love our country come in, not people that are looking to destroy our country.”
Mahoney said he looks forward to working with Trump on issues, even though there might be discord sometimes.
“I want to thank you too for seeking the input and guidance of our nation’s sheriffs on issues like immigration,” Mahoney said. “Some [issues] we’ll disagree on, but far more we’re going to agree on.”
