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Gaston Co. takes on illegal immigration
Updated: 12/21/2006 6:00:40 PM
By: Adam Shub
GASTONIA, N.C. – Thursday, Gaston County leaders announced a new partnership with the federal government aimed at identifying and deporting illegal immigrants.

The Gaston County Sheriff’s Department will partner with the Department of Homeland Security under the 287(g) program. The partnership will provide the sheriff’s department with funding, training, and access to federal databases.

“It also keeps Gaston County from becoming a safe haven for people who have come to this country illegally,” said Gaston County Sheriff Alan Cloninger.

Ten deputies from the department are enrolled in the program. Before they undergo federal training, they will first observe how the program is used in Mecklenburg County.



There, deputies have had sweeping success with the program since it began earlier in the year. They have initiated the deportation process for nearly 1,000 inmates that were identified as illegal immigrants through the program.

Based on inmate statistics, the program will have far less of an impact in terms of numbers in Gaston County.

According to 2005 statistics, of the roughly 16,000 inmates booked in Gaston County, only 610 were foreign nationals – 70 percent of which were Mexican citizens.

Because only those charged with a crime, and processed at the jail, are screened under the program, some critics argue that the program unfairly targets the Hispanic community.

However federal officials argue that the program insures that all U.S. citizens, regardless of ethnicity, are treated fairly.

“The system is set up to err on the side of being conservative,” said Jeff Jordan of the Department of Homeland Security. “So you don’t remove a U.S. citizen or someone here lawfully.”

The program is slated to be operational by early March 2007.




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