Gaston County, NC expanding its illegal immigration program
March 28, 2008 - 1:55PM
Michael Barrett

Deputies at the Gaston County Jail have been identifying illegal immigrants left and right since a federal program began there last June.

But the Immigration and Customs Enforcement initiative has been so successful, it's overloading deputies with work, said Gaston County Sheriff Alan Cloninger.

Cloninger told Gaston County commissioners Thursday that more manpower is needed to continue checking the immigration status of jail inmates. Board members responded by approving three new positions, for two deputies and a sergeant.

The measure passed by a 6-to-1 vote. Commissioner Jack
Brown was opposed because running the ICE program is a drain on the budget, but brings in no revenue.

Money from lapsed county salaries will pay for the positions now. Beginning July 1, the new jobs will cost the county almost $109,000 more each year.

A starting deputy with the Gaston County Sheriff's Office makes $33,720; a starting sergeant makes $41,408, said Capt. Jim Bailey.

Ten jail deputies went through training last year that allows them to investigate suspected illegal immigrants.

They interview inmates and run names through federal computer databases.

From the end of May through December 2007, 363 inmates were interviewed and 302 were processed for removal through the immigration program. It took more than four hours on average to process each inmate, Cloninger said.

Deputies often have to pull themselves away from other work to fulfill their ICE duties. Sometimes no one may be available, Cloninger said.

"If an ICE deputy is out sick, some (illegals) probably slip through," he said.

Federal officials overseeing the program recently told Cloninger that local deputies have handled some interviews and status checks incorrectly.

"Just the requirements of our time results in us having bad paperwork," Cloninger said. "Bad paperwork, when it gets to Atlanta (at the federal immigration court), can result in an illegal being released."

Commissioners asked if there will ever be any rebate on the program's expense. Brown said the more the county pays for it without asking for help, the longer it will stay that way.

"I've found that once you start funding things like this with local dollars, it never changes," Brown said. "The state does it to us all the time."

Unlike the jail's ability to make a profit from holding federal prisoners here, ICE offers no such profit potential, Cloninger said.

"I've spoiled y'all," he said. "ICE doesn't pay us to do this.

"But I believe the people of the county support this project immensely. I believe it has great merit."

Other commissioners agreed, saying the obligation to public safety demands they continue to weed out law-breaking illegal immigrants.

The program also saves local tax dollars by removing illegal immigrants who might otherwise access free, tax-subsidized programs, such as those offered at the Department of Social Services, Cloninger said.

"If we don't fund it, it won't get done," Commissioner
Tom Keigher said of the ICE program. "I don't want this place, Gaston, becoming a haven for those who are illegal."

You can reach Michael Barrett at 704-869-1826.
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