Thread: Houston: Sheriff puts immigration program on hold

Sheriff puts immigration program on hold
By LIZ AUSTIN PETERSON Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
Oct. 29, 2008, 3:20PM

The Harris County Sheriff's Office has suspended a program that allowed local jailers to perform the duties of an immigration officer because Commissioners Court never authorized its implementation, a county official said today.

Commissioner Steve Radack said the Sheriff's Office plans to put the matter on the agenda for Tuesday's court meeting and could resume the program immediately after an affirmative vote.

``Since they've determined the contract has to be approved by (the) court, then you know they're going to go ahead and stop until'' that happens, said Radack, who supports the program.

The Sheriff's Office first sought permission in July to participate in ICE's 287(g) program, which trains local law enforcement officers to help identify illegal immigrants.
Commissioner Sylvia Garcia asked to postpone a vote on that item and it never appeared on another agenda.

The court did approve plans to send nine jailers to Georgia in August for special immigration training.

Those officers began performing their immigration-related duties as soon as they returned, Sheriff's spokesman Capt. John Martin said.

Not getting the court's approval before the work began was an oversight, Martin said.

``There was no willful attempt on the part of anyone at the sheriff's office to circumvent commisisoners court approval,'' he said.

Through the 287 (g) program, local jailers are given the authority to interrogate any person believed to be in the country illegally and to issue immigration detainers, essentially noting in their records that ICE should be notified when they are going to be released.

On Monday, ICE announced that the Sheriff's Office had become the first local law enforcement agency in the nation to test an automated fingerprint check system that gives jailers full access to suspects' immigration history.

The new program provides a seamless and simultaneous check of immigration and criminal history by linking the FBI's database with DHS's database, known as IDENT (the Automated Biometric Identification System), officials said Monday.

Commissioners Court did not have to sign off on the implementation of that program, and it will continue, Martin said.

liz.peterson@chron.com

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6083834.html

I had to read this story a couple of times. It appears to be the 287 program that is on hold til approved. The new fingerprint database does not need approval and is currently being used.
Did I understand this article correctly?

Here is more info on the program:

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-136434-harris.html

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-136521-harris.html

"Commissioner Steve Radack said the Sheriff's Office plans to put the matter on the agenda for Tuesday's court meeting and could resume the program immediately after an affirmative vote."

Sounds like a little Politics, Tuesday's court meeting is on election day.

Originally Posted by lccat

"Commissioner Steve Radack said the Sheriff's Office plans to put the matter on the agenda for Tuesday's court meeting and could resume the program immediately after an affirmative vote."

Sounds like a little Politics, Tuesday's court meeting is on election day.

Yes, it does. Both Radack and Sheriff Thomas are running for re-election.