Why One Alabama Sheriff’s Halloween Scene Has the ‘Tolerant’ Left Screaming

MOBILE, AL - An Alabama sheriff is facing sharp criticism over a Halloween display outside his home, showing skeletons dressed as ICE officers chasing others wearing sombreros, AL.com reports. 

The display, clearly tongue-in-cheek, shows two skeletons wearing sombreros and ponchos climbing a fence, while three skeletons wearing t-shirts labeled “ICE” appear to pursue them closely behind. Of course, this is 2025, and everyone is offended by everything, especially the “tolerant” left, and Sheriff Paul Burch’s display is no different. 

One of Burch’s neighbors, Whitney Newman, was terribly offended by the display, calling it “offensive” and “inappropriate,” especially given Burch’s position as an elected sheriff. 

“It’s hard to put into words how disappointing it is to see our elected sheriff use his own front yard to mock and dehumanize a group of people,” Newman wrote on Facebook.

“I don’t think it’s cute or funny. And coming from a law enforcement official makes it exponentially worse.” 

“This crosses a line from a tasteless joke into a public statement about who deserves dignity,” she continued. 

Newman didn’t explain if she felt it was “dehumanizing” to the sombrero-wearing skeletons or the ICE t-shirt-wearing skeletons. 

AL.com reached out to the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, which declined comment and referred media inquiries to a statement issued by Burch’s wife, Michelle. 

Mrs. Burch stated in a written statement that she, not her husband, was solely responsible for the display, describing it as “tongue-in-cheek” and part of a series of Halloween displays she creates annually. 

“My husband had nothing to do with these, other than mowing the grass around them,” she wrote. “I made this one, playing both on my Cuban background and new, needed changes in immigration enforcement.” 

Burch, who said her parents were legal immigrants, said she decorates for Halloween and other holidays every year, frequently rotating themes. 

“My parents were legal immigrants, and I have plenty of immigrants throughout my family. I’ll make a new one shortly–we have no shortage of topics to cover,” she added. 

As expected, the Facebook post sparked strong reactions among liberals with no sense of humor, with some calling the display “disgusting” and accusing Burch of bigotry. 

The timing was also an issue, coming only a week after a video surfaced of a county sheriff’s deputy striking a man during an immigration enforcement operation. Sheriff Burch defended the deputy, telling reporters that the man was actively resisting arrest. 

That man, identified as Henry Castillo, was wearing a neon work vest and was allegedly being hit in the face while being restrained by sheriff’s deputies during a joint county/ICE operation. He was charged with resisting arrest and attempting to elude officers.

Several other individuals were also arrested during the same operation. 

Pro-illegal alien advocates have slammed immigration enforcement operations as being racially motivated (obviously, since most are from Central/South America and Mexico), and claim deputies are targeting work vans and Hispanic-appearing workers under the “assumption” they are illegal. 

AI.com asked Burch if any non-Hispanic people have been arrested, to which the sheriff responded, “I really couldn’t tell you, I don’t keep up with each and every state,” although he said one individual was a Russian national. 

Mobile and neighboring Baldwin County participate in the federal 287(g) program, which authorizes sheriff’s deputies to perform specific immigration enforcement duties in partnership with federal authorities.

Leftists complain the program leads to “racial profiling” and “erodes trust in law enforcement.” On the upside, it's removing foreign invaders from the United States.