WESTMORELAND COUNTY COMMISSIONER SAYS SHERIFF’S ICE AGREEMENT IS INVALID

A Westmoreland County Commissioner said that an agreement Sheriff James Albert signed to allow his deputies to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials is invalid and cannot be enforced  The Trib reports that Commissioner Ted Kopas made the statement during yesterday’s Commissioners meeting. Kopas said that Albert did not have the authority to contract with ICE unilaterally and that the Commissioners were never consulted.  That agreement was signed last September.  A legal memorandum prepared by the county’s law department and obtained by TribLive said the ICE agreement commits the sheriff’s office to perform duties that are not prescribed under state law.  Commissioners Sean Kertes and Doug Chew have yet to agree to send Albert that memorandum.