The National Sheriffs' Association criticizes the state of policing under Biden and endorses Merrick Patel for FBI director.

The NSA has backed Kash Patel for FBI director and criticized the Biden administration's treatment of law enforcement in a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee leaders.

NSA President Kieran Donahue wrote to Sens. Chuck Grassley and Dick Durbin on Monday, expressing his organization's support for Mr. Patel's nomination to be the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and urging the Committee to hold hearings promptly. Donahue believes there will be widespread backing for Mr. Patel and anticipates his swift confirmation by the full United States Senate.

The NSA is a professional association that boasts roughly 10,000 active members.

Kash Patel, an outspoken critic of the "deep state," was nominated by President-elect Trump as FBI director in November. In a book published last year, he advocated for restructuring the FBI and relocating its headquarters in a chapter titled "Overhauling the FBI."

In his letter to the senators, Donahue praised Patel's resume as proof of his qualifications for the position.

Previously, Patel worked as a public defender in Miami-Dade, Florida, where he tried numerous complex cases, including murder, narco-trafficking, and financial crimes, in both state and federal courts. In 2017, he received a DOJ award under the Obama administration for his successful prosecution and conviction of 12 terrorists responsible for the 2010 World Cup bombings.

During Trump's first administration, Patel gained national attention as the national security adviser and senior counsel for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence under committee Chair Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif.

Mr. Patel's service will prioritize restoring confidence in the Bureau by increasing transparency, integrity, collaboration, and commitment to excellence. He promised NSA that if confirmed, he would work closely with local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement at all levels. His dedication to reciprocity of access-to-advise is crucial in combating the most serious security and policing challenges. We are confident that Mr. Patel's engagement will result in effective partnerships nationwide to protect communities of all sizes.

The leader of the sheriff group criticized the Biden administration's policies affecting law enforcement, stating that they have weakened the rule of law and increased the nation's risk and vulnerability.

The lack of border policies that regulate access to our homeland is equally harmful. This has given domestic and international criminals an unprecedented opportunity to harm our citizens and residents. As a result, many communities in America are under attack. Criminal and terror schemes are thriving due to the exploitation of these vulnerabilities. The inadequate border control and law enforcement policies have created a blind spot that has facilitated criminal activity that spans multiple jurisdictions. A coordinated and robust response is needed to address this issue.

Despite wanting to collaborate with federal leaders to combat cartels and organized crime groups, local law enforcement agencies have been unable to access the President directly in the past four years.

"Our national leaders' failure to understand criminal trends and lack of resources to combat them has led to a perception among law enforcement and the public that they do not comprehend the ground truth about criminal activities undermining our nation's security," he wrote.

The President emphasized the importance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation being led by someone who has the complete confidence of the President, as the federal law enforcement hierarchy collaborates with local authorities to gather knowledge.