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Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Jail helps in export of illegals
Forsyth looks at Mecklenburg's effort to check immigration status


By Blair Goldstein
JOURNAL REPORTER


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CHARLOTTE

Forsyth County officials saw firsthand yesterday how a federal immigration program in Mecklenburg County has helped send almost 3,000 illegal immigrants to deportation hearings.

Mecklenburg County officials have participated in a program for almost two years that helps deport illegal immigrants that cycle through Mecklenburg County Central Jail.

Forsyth comÂ*missioners took a daylong trip to Charlotte to see how the federal program works, but the visit left unanswered questions about how much money it would take to bring the program to Forsyth County.

The federal program trains local law-enforcement officials to screen for immigration status when someone is booked into the Mecklenburg County jail, eventually turning anyone illegally in the country over to the federal government.

Forsyth County commissioners have been pushing to bring that program to the county jail, but only the sheriff can submit an application, and Sheriff Bill Schatzman has not agreed to do that.

County commissioners, along with Schatzman and District Attorney Tom Keith, spent yesterday debating the program. The group toured the Forsyth County Jail and then drove to Charlotte to see how the jail there is operated.

Schatzman said again yesterday that the sheriff’s office does not have enough staff people or jail space to accommodate the screening program.

“It’s a very difficult project in terms of resources,â€