Immigrant policies vex police at local level
Officials around country say they lack resources of their federal peers
MARISA TAYLOR

WASHINGTON — Frustrated with ineffective immigration enforcement and often under considerable political pressure, a growing number of states, counties and cities are requiring their law officers to help detect and deport illegal immigrants rather than rely on federal agents.

Yet as more law enforcement agencies sign up for immigration training, local officers are divided over whether their participation significantly reduces local crime or illegal immigration.

Many of the jurisdictions forgo the practice, creating a patchwork of different policies across the nation.

“This is a national problem that is now being handled in a variety of ways at the local level simply because we’re not getting good guidance out of Washington,â€