Anne Arundel County, MD. now an I.C.E. Secure Community

[JohnDoe2]

I.C.E. News Release

December 28, 2010
Glen Burnie, MD

Anne Arundel County to benefit from ICE strategy to use biometrics to identify and remove aliens convicted of a crime

GLEN BURNIE, Md. - On Tuesday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began using a federal information sharing capability in Anne Arundel County that helps federal immigration officials use biometrics to identify aliens, both lawfully and unlawfully present in the United States, who are booked into local law enforcement's custody for a crime. This capability is part of Secure Communities-ICE's comprehensive strategy to improve and modernize the identification and removal of aliens convicted of a crime from the United States.

Previously, biometrics-fingerprints-taken of individuals charged with a crime and booked into custody were checked for criminal history information against the Department of Justice's (DOJ) Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS). Now, through enhanced information sharing between DOJ and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), biometrics submitted through the state to the FBI will be automatically checked against both the FBI criminal history records in IAFIS and the biometrics-based immigration records in DHS's Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT).

If fingerprints match those of someone in DHS' biometric system, the new automated process notifies ICE. ICE evaluates each case to determine the individual's immigration status and takes appropriate enforcement action. This includes aliens who are in lawful status and those who are present without lawful authority. Once identified through fingerprint matching, ICE will respond with a priority placed on aliens convicted of the most serious crimes first-such as those with convictions for major drug offenses, murder, rape and kidnapping.

"The Secure Communities strategy provides ICE with an effective tool to identify criminal aliens in local custody," said Secure Communities Assistant Director David Venturella. "Enhancing public safety is at the core of ICE's mission. Our goal is to use biometric information sharing to remove criminal aliens, preventing them from being released back into the community, with little or no additional burden on our law enforcement partners."

With the expansion of the biometric information sharing capability to Anne Arundel County, ICE is using this capability in seven Maryland jurisdictions, including Baltimore County, Carroll, Frederick, Prince George's, Queen Anne and Saint Mary's counties. Across the country, ICE is using this capability in 891 jurisdictions in 35 states. By 2013, ICE plans to be able to respond nationwide to all fingerprint matches generated through IDENT/IAFIS interoperability.

"A fingerprint does not lie," said Anne Arundel County Executive John R. Leopold. "Secure Communities is another way local governments can partner with federal law enforcement to identify those who are in this country illegally. This is a valuable tool that eliminates the possibility of racial profiling in identifying illegal immigrants at the point of arrest. Anne Arundel County is proud to be a strong partner with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement."

Since ICE began using this enhanced information sharing capability in October 2008, immigration officers have removed from the United States more than 54,500 aliens convicted of a crime. ICE does not regard aliens charged with, but not yet convicted of crimes, as "criminal aliens." Instead, a "criminal alien" is an alien convicted of a crime. In accordance with the Immigration and Nationality Act, ICE continues to take action on aliens subject to removal as resources permit.

The IDENT system is maintained by DHS's US-VISIT program and IAFIS is maintained by the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS).

"US VISIT is proud to support ICE, helping provide decision makers with comprehensive, reliable information when and where they need it," said US-VISIT Director Robert Mocny. "By enhancing the interoperability of DHS's and the FBI's biometric systems, we are able to give federal, state and local decision makers information that helps them better protect our communities and our nation."

"Under this plan, ICE will be utilizing FBI system enhancements that allow improved information sharing at the state and local law enforcement level based on positive identification of incarcerated criminal aliens," said Daniel D. Roberts, assistant director of the FBI's CJIS Division. "Additionally, ICE and the FBI are working together to take advantage of the strong relationships already forged between the FBI and state and local law enforcement necessary to assist ICE in achieving its goals."

For more information about how ICE is using biometrics to identify aliens convicted of a crime, visit http://www.ice.gov/secure_communities.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security.

ICE is a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities. For more information, visit www.ICE.gov. To report suspicious activity, call 1-866-347-2423.

U.S. Dept of Homeland Security

http://www.ice.gov/news/releases/1012/1 ... burnie.htm

[immigration2009]

Very good!

[JohnDoe2]

Arundel to use fingerprints to identify illegal immigrants charged in crimes

Program uses federal database for identification

By Andrea F. Siegel, The Baltimore Sun
7:25 p.m. EST, December 29, 2010

Anne Arundel County joined a federal program this week that is aimed at helping identify illegal immigrants who have been arrested and accused of other crimes.

The program employs fingerprint identification using federal databases, and officials say it will be implemented nationwide by 2013.

The program, called Secure Communities, was started under the George W. Bush administration but has become a priority in the Obama administration's enforcement efforts for illegal immigration. With the help of local law enforcement authorities and jails, the ability to quickly identify illegal immigrants who have committed crimes or are accused of committing them is improved under the program, supporters say.

In Arundel, fingerprints taken at booking will go into a wider Homeland Security database. Potential matches will be identified within hours, said Terry Kokolis, superintendent of the county jail.

When there is a match, immigration officials are notified and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement generally moves to have the person detained by local authorities. After the defendant's court case or incarceration ends, he is held for ICE. At that point, ICE may pick him up and begin deportation proceedings.

Anne Arundel County Executive John R. Leopold said Secure Communities appeals to him in part because it is based on fingerprints. "Fingerprints don't lie," he said.

County officials say the reliance on technology reduces the possibility of human error and could cut down on accusations of profiling by law enforcement.

But critics, including Kim Propeack, director of community organizing and political action for Casa de Maryland, say that while the program can help rid communities of violent criminals, it also is flawed and has led immigrants elsewhere — legal and illegal — to think that police are stopping them on another pretext because the officer suspects they are in the country illegally.

They say the program is sweeping up many immigrants whose criminal cases are dropped or who are convicted of minor charges, though Leopold countered that "so-called nuisance crimes become a breeding ground for other crimes."

Immigrant advocates in the county say a program with the potential to increase deportations creates problems of its own, including spending thousands of dollars to deport people who are in the country illegally. Immigrants who are victims of or witnesses to crime may be afraid to come forward as a result of the program, for fear of being deported.

"It's just a chilling factor," said Bob Feldmann, an outreach coordinator with OHLA, the Organization of Hispanic and Latin Americans of Anne Arundel County Inc., an immigrant aid group.

Part of the problem, he said, is that many immigrants — legal or not — live in fear of deportation and don't understand immigration law.

Capt. Randy Jones Sr., commander of special enforcement in the county Police Department, said that a lack of a fingerprint match in a federal database does not necessarily mean the person is in the country illegally, but only that the person's prints are not in the database.

But "that's the beginning of your record. If you provide a different name next time, we have fingerprints to show it," he said. And fingerprints will turn up every photo taken of that person in the government database. "It's going to catch the people that are using multiple aliases," he said.

andrea.siegel@baltsun.com

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryla ... 8713.story

[stevetheroofer]

JD2 "WHAT THE HELL TOOK SO DAMN LONG!"

[JohnDoe2]

JD2 "WHAT THE HELL TOOK SO DAMN LONG!" :D

They have to buy the equipment.
They have to hire and train people to travel around the country and install the equipment in each of the 3141 communities in the country.
They can only spend the amount of money congress approves for each year.
Congress set it up to be done by 2013.

So I guess you need to ask congress why it is taking so long.

[stevetheroofer]

I know I was just messin' with ya!

[JohnDoe2]

891 jurisdictions in 35 states.

They have installed the equipment in 891 communities in 35 states (out of 3141)

and trained the local jail employees how to use the new equipment.

[stevetheroofer]

Well you've convinced me it's a good thing JD2, it's just hard to believe after 20yrs. their actually doing something at all!
I saw your border fence post too! "FOR ME!"
Thanks JD2, I mean that!