ACLU, Alamance County Battle Over 287(g) Immigration Documents
By Nicole Ferguson FOX8 News
April 22, 2009

GRAHAM, N.C. - An estimated 40,000 documents related to Alamance County's controversial 287(g) immigration program are at the heart of a battle between the North Carolina ACLU and the county sheriff's Office.

The county attorney called a meeting for Wednesday after the ACLU complained the sheriff's office had ignored requests to see public records. The sheriff's office said some requests can't legally be fulfilled and others need to be clarified.

"We're not picking on Alamance," said Katy Parker, an attorney from the ACLU. "We're doing due diligence for all of the counties that implemented 287(g) ... to make sure they're complying with the programs and also to see how the programs are actually operating."

Parker said the ACLU has put in several public records requests with counties and municipalities that have implemented the immigration program, which gives local agencies access to federal power in enforcing immigration law.

"To date, the only county that came back initially and said 'We will not give you any documents' is Alamance County," said Parker.

Randy Jones, a spokesman for the Alamance County Sheriff's Office, said many of the 287(g) records are not open to the sheriff's office.

"They sheriff does not have access to them. They are not our records, not under our control. We cannot fulfill those types of requests," he said. "I would think the ACLU would be aware they need to go to Immigration (and Naturalization Services) for those records and file their requests there because they are the keepers of those records. We are not."

Jones said the department has nothing to hide and the ACLU is welcome to any of the 40,000 documents as long as they can be legally released.

Both sides agree the business with 287(g) needs to wrap up soon.

"I swear I wish these issues would be resolved, because I have other work to do," said Parker.

"We've have literally hundreds upon hundreds of man-hours distracted from doing what our jobs should be for the citizens in order to answer what's become repetitive questions and accusations made that no one's ever shown any support for," said Jones.

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