Thread: Tenn - Local authorities intrigued by old option for illegal

http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=5792453

Local authorities intrigued by old option for illegal immigrants


NASHVILLE, Tenn. State and local law enforcement officials feeling the heat from constituents frustrated over illegal immigration and crime are taking a new look at a little-used option that's been around for years.

The program allows state and local officers to directly tap into Homeland Security databases to determine whether a person is legally in the country, instead of relying on backlogged Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

Called 287(g) after the section of federal immigration law that created it, the program has been around since 1996.

But so far only seven law enforcement agencies have implemented it. That number seems sure to grow.

The Davidson County Sheriff's Office in Nashville is one agency trying to sign up. Sheriff Daron Hall said he got interested after a head-on collision that killed two people led to the arrest of an illegal immigrant.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. State and local law enforcement officials feeling the heat from constituents frustrated over illegal immigration and crime are taking a new look at a little-used option that's been around for years.

Now that's a nice Christmas Present!