Ed Gonzalez

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Ed Gonzalez
Director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Nominee
Assuming office
TBD
PresidentJoe Biden
SucceedingTae Johnson (acting)
30th Sheriff of Harris County
Assumed office
January 1, 2017
Preceded byRon Hickman
Succeeded byEdison Toquica
Member of the Houston City Council
from the H district
In office
June 14, 2009 – January 1, 2016
Preceded byAdrian Garcia
Succeeded byKarla Cisneros
Personal details
BornHouston, Texas, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationUniversity of Houston–Downtown (BS)
University of St. Thomas (MS)

Ed Gonzalez is an American law enforcement officer and politician who is the nominee to serve as director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the Biden administration. Gonzalez has served as the 30th sheriff of Harris County, Texas since January 2017.

Early life and education[]

Gonzalez is a native of Houston, Texas. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Houston–Downtown and a Master of Science from the University of St. Thomas.

Career[]

Gonzalez worked as an officer in the Houston Police Department for 18 years. He was elected to the Houston City Council in 2009[1] and served until 2016. Representing District H, Gonzalez was also vice mayor pro tempore from 2010 to 2012.[2] Gonzalez assumed office as the 30th sheriff of Harris County, Texas in January 2017.

Immigration policy[]

Gonzalez has been critical of former President Donald Trump's immigration policies.[3][4][5] In 2017, Gonzalez ended a partnership with ICE—which his department had participated in since 2008—where ten specially-trained Harris County officers were assigned to determine the immigration status of suspects in the Harris County jail. The officers were re-deploy.[6][7] That same year, Gonzalez opposed a proposed state law banning sanctuary cities for illegal immigrants, and requiring local officials to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.[7] In 2018, Gonzalez criticized US immigration policy, saying "children should not be in immigration detention", and "I do not support #ICERaids that threaten to deport millions of undocumented immigrants". In 2019, Gonzalez barred his officers from participating in raids by ICE to detain and deport illegal immigrants.[8]

Bail[]

In 2017, Gonzalez testified against Harris County in federal court, saying "When most of the people in my jail are there because they can't afford to bond out, and when those people are disproportionately Black and Hispanic, that's not a rational system". At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gonzales proposed that bail be waived "for many of the eight thousand inmates in the Harris County jail".[7]

Gun legislation[]

In 2021, Gonzalez opposed a constitutional carry gun bill which would allow Texans to carry guns without permits.[9]

References[]

  1. ^ https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=580635
  2. ^ "Ed Gonzalez". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  3. ^ Sacchetti, Maria; Hernández, Arelis R. "To lead ICE, Biden picks Texas sheriff who criticized Trump's immigration policies". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  4. ^ Kanno-Youngs, Zolan (2021-04-27). "Biden to nominate Texas sheriff to lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  5. ^ "President Biden Announces Key Administration Nominations in National Security". The White House. 2021-04-27. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  6. ^ James, Pinkerton; Barned-Smith, St. John (February 21, 2017). "Sheriff cuts ties with ICE program over immigrant detention". Houston Chronicle.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b c Hardy, Michael (May 1, 2021). "Ed Gonzalez Has Spent Years Fighting ICE. President Biden Just Nominated Him to Run the Agency". Texas Monthly.
  8. ^ Giaritelli, Anna (Apr 29, 2021). "Biden ICE nominee Ed Gonzalez has history of denouncing agency he may soon be leading". Colorado Springs Gazette.
  9. ^ Wallace, Jeremy (April 28, 2021). "Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez blasts 'constitutional carry' bill as it flounders in Texas Senate". Houston Chronicle.
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