ALLEGAN — Allegan County became the latest Michigan county to pass a resolution giving itself “sanctuary” status for the Second Amendment.

The resolution states the county will not enforce any unconstitutional firearms laws, although county commissioners already have to swear an oath to uphold the constitution at the start of their terms.

The Allegan County Board of Commissioners passed the resolution unanimously during its Thursday, Feb. 27, meeting in Allegan.

The resolution directs Allegan County Sheriff’s authorities “to not enforce against any citizen an unconstitutional firearms law.”

During the Feb. 13 meeting, the Allegan County 2nd Amendment Sanctuary Group asked the board to take up the matter.

An effort to declare Michigan counties as Second Amendment sanctuaries began late in 2019 as a response to “red flag” laws, which give police authority to confiscate firearms from members of the public if they’re deemed unsafe to carry them.

Michigan does not have a red flag law, currently.

County commissioner Rick Cain, who represents District Seven, said the board should look into expanding the sanctuary status beyond the Second Amendment.

“This should be expanded to the entire Bill of Rights and Constitution to ensure that it’s all covered,” Cain said.

District One commissioner Dean Kapenga noted the Michigan House of Representatives passed a resolution on Feb. 26, stating it would not pass any laws that could infringe on the Second Amendment.

During the public comment period of the meeting, two Allegan County residents spoke on the resolution, one in favor, one against.

Carol Fletcher-Catherine, a professor at Grand Valley State University, brought up statistics related to gun violence to the board. She said the board should instead look toward resolutions that support expanded background checks and red flag laws.

“These are measures I would like to see my elected officials focusing on as opposed to unnecessary resolutions, such as the proposed Second Amendment sanctuary resolution that is aimed at stoking fears and creating greater divides,” she said.

“I’m not some crazy liberal set out to take guns out of the hands of responsible owners, but I am also a teacher and a mother. And I know the dangers posed to my students and children by guns in the wrong hands.”

Resident Steve DeYoung said the sanctuary resolution was about “making a stand.”

“It’s about a stand, it’s to let folks know where we are in terms of fairness and accuracy,” he said.

He told the board Allegan County residents need guns to protect themselves in the case of a mass shooting attack.

“If I was armed right now, be it a knife or a (firearm),” he said. “And you also are armed, I don’t know if you are or not, I hope you carry. I could start down here and I could get two or three of you before folks who are ready to respond could stop me from going any further.

“Being a trained, armed citizen is definitely important. Being an armed citizen can stop these mass killings from happening.”

According to the non-partisan Gun Violence Archive, there were over 39,000 deaths related to gun violence that occurred in the U.S. in 2019.

— Contact reporter Arpan Lobo at alobo@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @ArpanLobo.