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Jan 2, 2008

Alabama governor seeks immigration training for more troopers
By PHILLIP RAWLS
Associated Press Writer

MONTGOMERY, Ala. Sgt. Susanna Capps doesn't look any different from other state troopers, but she's had special training that makes her part of a federal effort to crack down on illegal immigration.



And Gov. Bob Riley wants more like her.



Capps was in the first group of Alabama state troopers to be trained by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to enforce immigration laws in 2003. Two more classes have received training since then. And now the governor is asking for training for a fourth class.



"Our troopers who have gone through the training are doing an outstanding job to combat illegal immigration in Alabama. They've made Alabama a leader among the states on this issue," Riley said Wednesday.



The training allows troopers to enforce federal immigration laws as part of their regular duties. Without the training, they can't.



Capps, who's assigned to the trooper post in Opelika, said her five weeks of training taught her how to recognize fake documents and gave her access to the national Law Enforcement Support Center, which provides timely information on immigration status.



She recalls one day when a Nigerian woman came in to get a driver's license. "She presented a passport and a Social Security card, and it turned out to be bad," Capps said.



Another woman from China gave information that didn't match the documents she presented. Some checking by Capps turned up a judge's deportation order for the woman.



In both cases, the women went to jail and then got deported, she said.



Capps said she recently got called when another trooper pulled over a Guatemalan man who lacked proper documentation. The trooper didn't have federal training and couldn't do anything about the man's immigration status.



Capps could. She took him to a federal agent in Montgomery for deportation.



"It's just an extra tool," she said.



Pat Riley, a spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said 34 states, cities and counties have been approved for the law enforcement training. Alabama was the second state after Florida to get approval. No city or county in Alabama has been approved for training.



So far, 60 Alabama state troopers have received the training, and 57 of them are still with the state.



That's one-tenth of the 597 officers trained by the program nationwide, Riley said.



Not everyone views the training like Riley does.



Sam Brooke, a law fellow with the American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama, said the program is open to abuse based on a person's appearance.



"It says you can target anyone who looks Hispanic," he said.



Brooke said there is a perception in the immigrant community that all law enforcement officers are participating in the training and that makes undocumented immigrations hesitant to talk to police when they are victims of crimes. In turn, that makes them easier prey for criminals who known their misdeeds likely won't get reported to police, he said.



Helen Rivas, an immigrant advocate in Birmingham, questions whether using state troopers to enforce immigration laws is an efficient use of their time.



"They are always talking about we don't have enough troopers on the highways. Shouldn't that be the priority?" she said.



Capps said troopers only get involved in immigration enforcement when it comes up as part of their regular duties, such as issuing driver's licenses.



"We're aren't going to a business and say, 'It looks like you've got several aliens working here,'" she said.



The training takes place at the Center for Domestic Preparedness in Anniston. The federal government pays for the training, but the state pays the salaries and travel expenses of the officers who participate, Riley said.


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