Federal Agents Working Closer With Local Police On Illegal Immigration
BY APRIL BAER

Oregon City, OR June 8, 2009 6:29 a.m.


This year, the Immigration Customs Enforcement Service is on track to blow past last year’s total for cases prosecuted in the Northwest.

Since October 1st, 124 people have been deported—already an increase over the same period last year. But they’re not doing it alone.

The relationship between immigration enforcement and local law enforcement is inching closer. April Baer reports on the intersection of the two worlds.

Every morning in Oregon City, two Immigration Enforcement Agents go to work at the Clackamas County Jail.

The agents pat down the handcuffed inmates under the greenish glare of fluorescents. They take wallets and keys in plastic bags. In a few minutes, they’ll take custody of the detainees for transfer.

Lt. Todd Rollins with the Sheriff’s Department explains this is also the place where custody begins.

Todd Rollins “This is our booking area. When someone’s arrested, they’re brought into the booking area, they stand here on this line, and we do our process. Doesn’t matter who they are. Every single person’s treated the same as far as the questions we ask them.â€