Simi may target illegal immigrants
Police could be trained to handle violators
By Anna Bakalis (Contact)
Sunday, August 19, 2007
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2 ... mmigrants/

Simi Valley is the first city in Ventura County to consider tackling illegal immigration using its own police force.

Last month, the City Council directed the staff to provide options to address illegal immigration within the city's jurisdiction. The alternatives were presented this week to the council, which asked the staff to return with more information on the issue.

One option, presented by Simi Police Department Capt. John McGinty, was to complete a "cross-designation" program with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Under this proposal, at least one trained Simi Valley Police Department officer would be on duty at all times to question and determine if a suspect is in the country illegally. This option would cost the city about $150,000 and would require at least 15 of the department's 53 officers to be trained under the ICE program.

This was favored by Councilwoman Barbra Williamson, who sits on the Simi Valley Gang Taskforce.

"I do think the city has the ability to do this," Williamson said. "This program would take illegals off of our streets and send them back to where they belong."

She said a local program would allow police officers to crack down on illegal conversions and overcrowding.

"If we put this in place, it's got to cut down on it, it's just got to," she added.

In most cases in Ventura County, only the two ICE agents who are assigned to the county jail can hold a suspect for illegal status. Their job is to screen every person arrested, regardless of the arresting agency.

McGinty said Monday that the ICE agents help in Simi Valley when needed, but are stretched thin, since they also cover Santa Barbara County.

"We have several successful operations in which an ICE agent went with us," McGinty said. "It's not like we're alone out here, holding the bag."

He said it is rare that a patrol officer places a hold on an arrestee who is suspected of being here illegally, he said.

"We lack the training, we lack the sophistication, in many cases we lack the language skills to nail down the fact they are here illegally," McGinty said. "The reality is a firm hold that's going to keep a person (in jail) is by Immigration, not us."

Larger force required

Mayor Paul Miller asked if it would do any good to train one or two field officers.

"We really would need to have a smattering," McGinty said. "We needed the 15 to make it effective."

The other option, favored by the city staff, is to stick with the current system while supporting the Ventura County Sheriff's Department's goal to add two more deputies to work with the ICE agents at the county jail.

City Manager Mike Sedell said that the county jail is considered the funneling point for illegal immigration enforcement across the state. Police chiefs and the Ventura County Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee favor this approach, while vying for two more deputies.

"When they are booked into jail, the deputies would work hand in glove with the ICE officers," Sedell said.

An inmate found to be in the United States illegally is deported once the local prosecution has concluded and the sentence served.

It is unknown how many illegal immigrants are arrested in Simi Valley each year, since the city doesn't maintain statistics on immigration status, the report says.

The Sheriff's Department asked for funding for the two additional trained officers this year, but the Board of Supervisors did not approve the request.

Councilman Glen Becerra said he'd like to see cities across the county share the expense of getting sheriff's deputies trained in the ICE program.

"I think the issue does need to be dealt with in the jail level," Becerra said. "It's at the booking that we should be putting the hold on them. I don't want an excuse to come back that says we don't have the money to pay for the training to get this accomplished.'"

Councilwoman Michelle Foster also favored keeping enforcement at the county and supported the Sheriff's Department effort for more deputies at the jail.

"I support staff's recommendation," Foster said, adding she wanted to get more information "before we commit this city to do something that's already working."

After some discussion, the council asked for more information from the staff, including the booking process for those arrested, the number of Simi Valley arrestees and the number of those arrestees who are deported.

Homeland Security links

ICE was formed in 2003 as part of the Department of Homeland Security, and one of its branches is the Office of Detention and Removal Operations, which is in charge of the removal of illegal immigrants.

Civil rights and liability issues have been a concern across the country since the ICE began "cross-designation" enforcement at the local level in communities across the country. Costa Mesa tried to implement a local illegal immigration program but met with controversy in the community. A middle ground was found when an ICE agent was stationed in the city jail 40 hours a week, at federal expense.

Simi Valley does not have a local booking facility. And the police must rely on a bilingual officer when available or a volunteer who speaks the language of the suspect.

Since 2003, ICE has signed agreements with agencies in Arizona, North Carolina and California and provided cross-designation training to Arizona Department of Corrections officers and Los Angeles and San Bernardino county jail custody specialists.