State Cracking Down on Illegal Immigrants in Jail

Updated: Dec 31, 2007 03:44 PM PST


NEW HANOVER COUNTY -- Every day sheriff's deputies keep a close eye on inmates at the New Hanover County Jail.

Now a new law taking effect Jan. 1 will have them cracking down on illegal immigrants.

Sheriff's offices across North Carolina will be required to check the immigration status of people charged with felonies or impaired driving.

Anyone found to be here illegally will be turned over to federal agents for deportation.

Some people fear the law could lead to profiling.

"It really worries me. I'm concerned about it splitting families. I hope we don't have a lot of distress calls, my husband is gone and he's done nothing wrong," explained Lucy Vasques, found of Latino Magazine.

Officials with the New Hanover County Sheriff's Office say that will not be the case.

"The people this is targeting is people here to cause problems. Those not here to do what's right, here for negativity, we're trying to move that out of the community," explained Lieutenant J. L Simmons of the New Hanover County Sheriff's Office.

New Hanover County is taking it one step further. They are in the process of transforming a vacant lot into a new facility that would house only illegal immigrants.

It's part of the immigration and customs enforcement, also known as ICE Program.

The proposed building would house close to 100 illegal immigrants awaiting deportation, but it wouldn't be just for New Hanover County.

A check over the past three weeks found that only three of 70 inmates in New Hanover County are on the deportation list.

Reported by Sarah Warlick

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