North Carolina, USA — A scandal is rocking the Cumberland
County Sheriff's Office after it was confirmed that several law enforcement
officers were in the United States without legal immigration status.
The most recent case involves Kevin Joyce, a jailer with the
county sheriff's office, who was arrested by Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE) agents after a review of his immigration status. According to
available information, federal authorities notified that Joyce was
"illegally present in the United States."
What is most concerning for the sheriff's department itself
is that this is not an isolated incident. In an interview, the sheriff himself
acknowledged that other deputies also had to be dismissed after it was
discovered that they were in the same irregular immigration status.
The case has raised serious questions about internal hiring
controls within the county, as these individuals were able to enter and perform
duties within public safety institutions without their legal status being
detected in a timely manner.
To date, local authorities have not disclosed how many more
individuals may be under investigation, but they confirmed that a thorough
review of personnel vetting processes will be initiated to prevent similar
situations from recurring.
This incident opens a new debate surrounding oversight,
institutional accountability, and the vetting procedures that should be applied
to those who hold positions within law enforcement agencies.