Feds more vigilant in finding illegal immigrants in jails

Associated Press - September 17, 2007 1:55 PM ET

WAUSAU, Wis. (AP) - The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency has established and staffed a criminal alien program in Wisconsin for the first time.

The agency has opened 414 cases in Wisconsin since June, mostly with leads from eight jails, leading to 167 detainees.

Brent Kriehn is a deportation officer with the ICE Milwaukee office. He says deporting illegal immigrants convicted of crimes in America is a higher priority because it's now being viewed as a public safety issue.

The federal government's increased efforts to deport illegal immigrants convicted of crimes was too late for Kenosha County Deputy Frank Fabiano (fahb-ee-AH'-noh).

The 48-year-old deputy was fatally shot while making a traffic stop last May. Ezeiquiel Lopez was arrested in the slaying and identified as being in the country illegally.

Records show he had been jailed in Kenosha County about a year before that. But, it wasn't until about four months later that the county started sending daily e-mails to federal agents in Milwaukee alerting them to inmates who may be in the country illegally.

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