Thread: Wake Co. NC - Program deports more than 500

Published Fri, Dec 25, 2009 03:36 AM
Modified Fri, Dec 25, 2009 04:15 AM
Program deports more than 500
RALEIGH In the past year, more than 500 illegal immigrants have been deported as a result of a fingerprint system at the Wake County Sheriff's Office that automatically tells federal immigration agents they are there, according to Department of Homeland Security records.

Wake County joined the federal Secure Communities program about a year ago, along with Durham, Orange and seven other counties across the state. Since then, Wake has put nearly 700 aliens into federal custody - about three out of every five turned over through the program across the state.

About 50 of those had committed major drug offenses or violent crimes such as murder or robbery. Most had committed property crimes or misdemeanors.

Secure Communities is different from the 287(g) program, in which local law enforcement officers actively interview detainees and decide whether to hold them for the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Under 287(g), Wake County has detained another 1,000-plus inmates in the past year.

Secure Communities provides local law enforcement agencies with immediate access to nationwide criminal records, including immigration records, when they enter a detainee's fingerprints into federal databases. It also automatically notifies ICE agents that an illegal immigrant is in custody.

In the vast majority of cases, the 287(g) interview process had already identified illegal immigrants before they were fingerprinted, according to Wake County Sheriff's spokeswoman Phyllis Stevens. But Secure Communities fingerprinting has netted three immigrant-felons who had gone undetected by deputies.

"It's like a backup for us, because people are not always going to tell you the truth," Stevens said.

Secure Communities launched last October, piloting the database access in about one-third of law enforcement agencies across the country, focusing on those municipalities with the highest concentrations of immigrants in custody for other crimes.

North Carolina was among ICE's top five highest-priority states, along with California, Arizona, Texas and Florida. A total of 17 North Carolina sheriff's departments will have joined the program by the end of 2010, according to ICE. Since last November, Secure Communities has identified about 140,000 criminal aliens in North Carolina jails, detained about 1,200 of them and deported about 850, according to ICE records. Of those deported, 55 had committed a major drug crime or violent offense.

ICE has taken custody of 12 out of 280 detained in Orange County. Five have been deported, and the Orange County Human Relations Commission has raised concerns about the program. Next month, the commission will present recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners, including a special grievance procedure, extra training to avoid racial profiling and quarterly reports on who is being detained through the program.

Orange County Sheriff Lindy Pendergrass has already provided a first round of data showing that of the 12 men turned over to ICE under Secure Communities, 11 had been initially arrested on serious charges such as breaking and entering, assault or drunken driving. One, Antonio Guadalupe Orozco, ended up in ICE custody after allegedly fishing without a license. His only previous criminal record in North Carolina is two speeding tickets. His is the sort of case that concerns the commission.

"While we are aware that ICE says they will prioritize the deportation of dangerous felons, there is nothing in current guidelines to prevent them from deporting individuals who are arrested for minor offenses," the commission stated in a memo to county commissioners.

Commission Chairman Joe Nanney said the group thinks the sheriff's office has no choice but to participate in the program, though ICE spokeswoman Barbara Gonzalez would only say that no agency has ever turned it down.

"What we're trying to do is deal with a situation that is far from optimal," Nanney said.

The Orange County Board of Commissioners may take up the recommendations at its next meeting, Jan. 21.

jesse.deconto@newsobserver.com or 919-932-8760

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/counti ... 56291.html

USE BOTH!

Sounds like a HUGE success to me, use both and make it mandatory nationwide.