Davidson County May Drop 287-G Deportation Program
Posted: Sep 04, 2009 7:09 PM






NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Metro disagrees with some of the new rules that allow local police to enforce federal immigration laws. Some Hispanic groups believe the program needs a review.

Nashville Hispanic Chamber of Commerce president Yuri Cunza said 287-G unfairly targets Hispanic communities.

He said many Hispanics do not trust police because their perception was the program encourages racial profiling.

"It's hard to determine if there's racial profiling or not because pretty much everybody that gets taken to jail is unlikely to be released due to the nature of the program. So, who will be our witness? Who is going to tell us?" said Cunza.

287-G began in Nashville April 2007. Sheriff Daron Hall said since then, crime committed by illegal immigrants is down 46 percent.

"Ours has been referred to as a model program by folks in ICE in Washington D.C. We only do the program behind the walls of the jail once you're arrested for other crimes," said Hall.

Since the program's inception the sheriff's office has identified more than 6,000 illegal immigrants that have been processed for deportation.

Cunza and other Hispanic leaders are happy Immigration and Customs Enforcement, also known as ICE, has been reviewing 287-G.

There would be very few changes in Nashville with one exception that could end the program in the city.

"There is no disconnect between us and the Obama administration as it relates to how it should operate. The only thing is the public records issue," said Hall.

Hall disagreed with new federal rules that keep information secret about who is being held in the Davidson County Jail. ICE wants all information about 287-G inmates to come from them.

Tennessee state law requires the Sheriffs office make that information public, and Hall hopes lawyers can work out the differences.

"I've been assured that can happen, and I believe it's going to happen," said Hall.

Sheriff Hall is travelling to Washington later this month to meet with representatives of ICE to work out their differences.


http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=11080053