Bruning wants local officers to help fight illegal immigration
By NATE JENKINS / The Associated Press
Tuesday, Jan 22, 2008 - 07:19:40 pm CST

Attorney General Jon Bruning wants local law enforcement officers across the state to nab more illegal immigrants by using a federal program that is growing in popularity along with public outrage over illegal immigration.

Should his plan come to fruition, everyone from sheriff’s deputies to jail employees would be able to quickly check the legal status of residents after they’re arrested. Now, Bruning says, they must wait hours to find out — sometimes learning immigrants are here illegally after they’ve been set free.

“We need to do something about the problem of illegal immigration and we need to start with people who commit crimes in addition to being here illegally,â€