National Sheriffs’ Association President: Give Trump the Benefit of the Doubt

On Tuesday, President Trump met with law enforcement from around the country on issues regarding his executive orders to curb illegal immigration, and reiterated his commitment to build a wall along the southern border.

Sheriff Greg Champagne, President of the National Sheriffs' Association, attended the meeting and acknowledged the significance of getting to speak with the president at the White House.

“It’s been the first time in quite a while that the officers, the leadership of the National Sheriffs’ Association has been invited, not only to the White House, but inside the oval office,” said Champagne during an interview with Stuart Varney on the Fox Business Network.

Trump continued his mantra to “build a great wall” and secure our nation’s borders during his address to police officials on Wednesday, at the Major Cities Chiefs Association Winter Conference.

“It’s time to stop the drugs from pouring into our country and by the way, we will do that. And, I will say this, General, now Secretary Kelly will be the man to do it, and we will give him a wall, and it will be a real wall,” said Trump.

Although Sheriff Champagne agreed with the President’s determination to build a secure border, he also hinted that a wall might not be the most appropriate solution in certain cases.

“I think even the President has indicated, though he talks about the wall, we all know that there are places where there could be other things built -- other structures, such as fences, electronic sensors, whether its drones, aircrafts. It’s a long stretch of territory and we just need something that we can enforce the borders.”

Trump’s executive order to temporarily ban immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim countries has been a major source of contention just over two weeks into his presidency – but if Clinton won the election, and enforced the same policies, it would be a different story said Champagne.

“Whether you like President Trump or you don’t like President Trump, all of our presidents had this authority under the statute. So, if it were President Clinton right now who was exercising this same authority under this statute, I believe the same people who are screaming about it right now, would be saying how important it is that she had that authority.”

He went on to add, “We have to give our president the benefit of the doubt.”