In December 2014 , Smith sent a letter to his deputies regarding the murder of two New York Police Department officers , Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos , of the 84th Precinct in Brooklyn , New York City : In February 2015 , Smith challenged Secretary Jeh Johnson of the United States Department of Homeland Security , who in a letter to law enforcement leaders nationwide threatened cuts in federal funding if the U.S. Congress fails to fund President Obama 's amnesty program beyond the deadline of February 27 . Smith said , " Let me get this straight - the president believes he has the authority to nullify federal laws that do n't serve his personal agenda , but if Congress dares to exercise its responsibility of controlling the purse strings , he will willingly hold public safety grants hostage just to get his way ? " Smith accused Secretary Johnson of trying to " pull the police chiefs and sheriffs " in the middle of a conflict between Congress and the White House . Items that could be eliminated if the amnesty program is blocked are salaries for emergency personnel , oxygen masks and tanks for firefighters in Denver , and jobs of firefighters in Detroit . Sheriff Smith said that he has avoided accepting federal grants to avoid dependence on the national government . He termed Johnson 's message an " act of desperation " from the Obama administration . In the summer of 2014 , Smith visited the Mexican border and observed unaccompanied minors crossing into the United States . Smith claims that the amnesty policy could make " every county a border county . " Smith opposes federal universal background checks on gun sales and has vowed to challenge in court those restrictions which he considers a violation of Second Amendment rights . Smith is at odds with both President Obama and Governor John Hickenlooper of Colorado , both Democrats who have both expressed support for background checks when guns are sold from one individual to another , which is not yet required under state and federal law . " There is no law ; there 's a proposal . I 'm pointing out the holes in it . Let 's see what happens , " Smith said when asked if he would enforce such a law in Larimer County
the murder
2014 killings of NYPD officers
Justin Smith (Colorado sheriff)