San Joaquin County now runs fingerprints through immigration database

By Sophia Kazmi
Contra Costa Times
02/16/2010


SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY — San Joaquin is one of the latest counties to be part of a Department of Justice and Homeland Security initiative that checks the immigration status of those booked into its jails

San Joaquin and Stanislaus now join eight other counties in California, including Solano, San Diego and Los Angeles, in running the fingerprints of everyone booked into their jails through Homeland Security immigration records, along with other routine criminal record checks.

If fingerprints match those in the Homeland Security database, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is automatically notified and can determine what actions, such as deportation, should be taken.

The goal of the system is to make sure that all those with violent criminal histories who are not naturalized citizens are not released back into the local community.

Since its inception in 2008, the system has identified more than 11,000 illegal immigrants charged with or convicted of violent crimes such as murder and rape.

Of that total, 2,900 have been deported. Meanwhile, more than 100,000 immigrants convicted of burglary and serious property crimes have been identified.

The system is active in 116 jurisdictions in 16 states.

ICE anticipates complete nationwide coverage by 2013.

Contact Sophia Kazmi at 925-847-2122.

Follow her at Twitter.com/sophiakazmi.

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