Thread: Nashville: Local deportations could begin in 90 days

http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/index ... s_id=52005

Local deportations could begin in 90 days
By Jared Allen, jallen@nashvillecitypaper.com
September 08, 2006

Nashville could become the next U.S. city to get federal authorization to start deporting it own criminal illegal immigrants in as little as 90 days, officials involved in process said Thursday.

Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall spent Thursday discussing his request to participate in the federal program referred to as 287 (g) with the staff of Tennessee’s two U.S. Senators, Bill Frist and Lamar Alexander.

Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Karla Crocker said the discussions were very encouraging, saying Frist and Alexander’s staff told Hall that on Wednesday the two senate offices had been in contact with the Department of Homeland Security office in charge of signing off on Nashville’s application.

Crocker said Frist and Alexander’s staff said “no red flags” were raised.

Nashville is currently in a 30-day review period, in which the staff of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Assistant Secretary Julie Myers will review the feasibility of accepting Nashville in the program, which would allow the Sheriff’s Office to directly screen arrestees for immigration violations and, if necessary, begin deportation proceedings without intervention from federal officials.

If the application is accepted, an additional 30-60 days will be needed to draft the legal agreement, followed by 30-45 days of training for sheriff’s deputies.

Crocker said Hall is “guardedly optimistic” that the program could be in place and working by Jan. 1, 2007.

Considering Hall sent the application letter to Myers on Aug. 15, a Jan. 1 start-date would be a much quicker turnaround than the six-month waiting period experienced by Charlotte, the most recent U.S. city to implement the 287 (g) program.

Charlotte’s application was accepted largely though the efforts of its congressional representative, Rep. Sue Myrick (R-N.C.).

Myrick told The City Paper Thursday that persistence in the face of bureaucracy was what got Charlotte into the program.

“I love the program, and I was determined to have it in our area,” Myrick said. “I literally just had to bug the dickens out of them.”

Nashville’s person in the House of Representatives, Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.), hopes that by bringing in Frist and Alexander, not nearly as much nagging will be necessary.

“I don’t see why this should take six months,” Cooper said. “Daron [Hall] has offered to supply the manpower and the computers. All we need is approval.”

“We happen to have added fire power in the delegation, and they’re from Nashville,” Cooper said in reference to Alexander and Frist — who is also the Senate’s majority leader. “So if you have those tools at your disposal, why not use them?”

“Sen. Frist will continue to support Davidson County’s application, and continue to work with the Department of Homeland Security and the sheriff,” Frist spokesman Matt Lehigh said Thursday.

Cooper and Hall are also hoping no additional federal funds will have to be authorized in order for the government to pay for sheriff’s officers training.

The entire Department of Homeland Security budget is roughly $40 billion a year, $5 million of which was allocated for the 287 (g) program in 2006.

Charlotte was able to capitalize on those funds, taking advantage of monies already appropriated by Congress last year.

The estimated cost of Nashville’s entry into the 287 (g) program, as well as the current amount of unspent 287 (g) funds, were not available as of press time.

Congress is set to adjourn for the year in less than two weeks.

Places like Nashville will be the solution to the problem. Our useless senate and president will never do anything but give illegals citizenship. If the House now gets a border security through and the senate can't just ignore it and pass it, it will be the state and local level that makes the laws that deports those not legally here. It'll take time but they didn't come here overnight.
Go Nashville.

While I too feel this is the best answer since the federal morons refuse to do their job, what happens in the case of states ( like mine) whose government officials (Illinois: Durbin, Obama) not only support illegals but welcomes them with open arms?

Originally Posted by Preachingtothechoir

While I too feel this is the best answer since the federal morons refuse to do their job, what happens in the case of states ( like mine) whose government officials (Illinois: Durbin, Obama) not only support illegals but welcomes them with open arms?

We work to get them out of office, either by recall or through elections.

In the meantime, we work to get the program in other states as well.