Thread: ICE unit is placed in prison complex

ICE unit is placed in prison complex
Mar. 31, 2007 12:00 AM

The Arizona Department of Corrections on Friday unveiled an Immigration and Customs Enforcement unit inside the prison complex in Phoenix. The ICE unit is the nation's first to be built inside a prison.

Officials say the unit will house six Corrections Department employees trained and certified as ICE officers as well as two immigration officers and a supervisor. The goal is to expedite the deportation-determination process, beginning the day foreign nationals enter the state prison system.

In 2005, prison officials entered into an agreement with ICE to speed the deportation of eligible undocumented immigrants. Officials say the efforts have saved Arizona taxpayers nearly $9 million. advertisement




The prison unit opened one day after Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio introduced a plan for county deputies and detention officers to verify the immigration status of every person booked into jail, place holds on undocumented people for possible deportation and check immigration status during traffic stops.



- Judi Villa


http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepubli ... 0331.html#

March 30, 2007
Sheriff Joe Arpaio Arresting Illegals
(Phoenix, Arizona) Yesterday, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio introduced new enforcement measures to arrest people suspected of being in the United States illegally. Previously, Sheriff Joe only arrested illegals believed to be conspiring with human smugglers. The new approach extends the scope of enforcement, however, deputies will not go "to Home Depot and arrest everybody."

More than three dozen Sheriff's Department officers have completed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) training "that gives them the power of federal officers."

"They will now have the authority to put their federal hat on," Arpaio said. "In the course of their duties, when they stop vehicles under probable cause, they are going to take the necessary action."
One opponent of the new law enforcement tactic, activist Danny Ortega, warned of racial profiling and resultant discrimination lawsuits against individual officers. Ortega also believes that illegals will now suffer a paralyzing fear of law enforcers in the county.

Might I suggest that it's entirely normal for criminals to fear the police?

http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/187198.php

This really is good news. They explained yesterday that they will be able to accomplish in just a few days, what previously took 6 weeks.