05/21/2026
Facts not being portrayed
The commissioners have not filed a law suit against the Sheriff. An activist group called CASA filed the lawsuit and listed the commissioners as INVOLUNTARY PLAINTIFFS. The word INVOLUNTARY should in itself explain everything.
The commissioners have never told the Sheriff he can’t enforce the law. Nor would they.
The information being portrayed to the public is not accurate.
The issue between the Sheriff and the commissioners has nothing to do with immigration enforcement. IT has everything to do with a violation of County Code. The County code is the laws governing how counties are to be governed. In it each elected official is given specific duties and responsibilities.
In the county code the commissioners are responsible for the purse of the county. Ie… the budget. Therefore other elected officials are ,( if considering entering into a contract) are obligated to advise, consult and have the commissioners approval prior to entering into any contract that affects the budget. Failure to do so creates the possibility of potentially causing serious budgetary shortfalls. Especially if the contract doesn’t explicitly specify reimbursement to the county.
This process of advisement, consultation and approval of the board of commissioners was not done. The commissioners learned of this from the public. It took the commissioners several weeks of being pressed by members of the public to get an actual sit down conversation and explanation of exactly what was signed. And to what the county was being obligated to.
The liability issues may have been considered but not understood or researched . As the counties insurance provider does not protect the county if the sheriff is stepping out of normal Juniata County Sheriff duties and preforming the job of a Federal Agency on their behalf IE… Ice.
Additionally Juniata County doesn’t have the financial resources , as our funding comes from the property owners of the County. Should the Sheriff act on behalf of ICE and something go wrong. Ie an injury, improper arrest, death. If the county were then sued the County would not have the protection of an insurance policy to protect the citizens. If a law suit were filed for any number of reasons the Sheriff personally, the Commissioner’s as the budgeting body. And ultimately the property owners in the county, as that is where the budget gets its funds, Would have to pay any and all penalties derived from a negative verdict in any law suit. Not to mention even if the county sheriff’s Department
were vindicated there would still be thousands if not tens of thousands in legal cost . All at the expense of the property owners in Juniata County.
So in short the fact is the Commissioners are not standing against Ice or trying to hinder the Sheriff from assisting ICE. They are only saying we don’t have the financial ability to pay from the county budget ( property owners). To do Ices Job for them.
Additionally if ICE. Came to Juniata County and requested the assistance of the Sheriff’s Department that is in the scope of regular duties and covered under insurance polices. The same as assisting PSP would be covered. However assisting and doing the job of are two entirely seperate issues.
