In an unexpected and unusual offer to President-elect Trump, a long-serving Massachusetts sheriff is offering his prison inmates as help to build the anti-immigrant wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Giving his fourth inaugural address in Fall River, Mass., Wednesday night, Bristol County Sheriff Thomas M. Hodgson made the official offer while endorsing the wall.

“I can think of no other project that would have such a positive impact on our inmates and our country than building this wall,” said Hodgson, who has warned in the past about illegal immigration.

“Aside from learning and perfecting construction skills, the symbolism of these inmates building a wall to prevent crime in communities around the country, and to preserve jobs and work opportunities for them and other Americans upon release, can be very powerful,” added the sheriff.

Hodgson hopes other counties offer help for Trump through a new program called “Project N.I.C.E.”

The National Inmates’ Community Endeavors program, he said, will use inmates for community service and provide an example for other sheriffs to follow. It could be used for disaster relief following floods, tornadoes and other disasters, he said, while also saving “taxpayers a lot on labor and disaster relief.”

In his address, provided in advance to Secrets, he said, “Think of how much good could come of 500 or 1,000 extra hands in rebuilding a community after a disaster, and the inmates would learn valuable construction skills and on-the-job training as part of their rehabilitation.”

Immigration experts applauded his plan. “If any of the inmates working on the wall are criminal aliens from south of the border, they’ll be that much closer for deportation,” said Jessica Vaughan of the Center for Immigration Studies. “Not only that, they can use their new skills to support themselves in their home country,” she added.

Hodgson is beginning his fourth six-year term as Bristol County Sheriff. Sheriff Hodgson was overwhelmingly re-elected in November.

In his remarks, he also discussed cooperating with federal officials involved in immigration policy.

Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected]