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March 26, 2008


Suffern can't use county jail for immigration enforcement

Suzan Clarke
The Journal News

SUFFERN - Rockland County Sheriff James Kralik says he has been told by New York state and the federal government that the county jail may not be used to house anyone detained on immigration violations by Suffern as part of its proposed partnership in a federal immigration enforcement program.

The decision was reached after a meeting with representatives from the state's Corrections Commission and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Kralik said today.

The meeting was March 19, and Suffern's Police Chief, Clarke Osborn, was present, Kralik said.

Suffern plans to join 287 (g), a federal program that allows local U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement program to partner with local law enforcement. Under the accord, local officers are trained to identify criminals who are undocumented, detain them on immigration charges and start deportation proceedings.

Suffern had asked Rockland County for the use of its jail for the immigration detainees.

Osborn and Suffern's Mayor John Keegan both said the decision was not a setback to their pursuit of the program.

They had been awaiting news of whether they could use the county jail before they filed the formal application with ICE. They will proceed with the application, Osborn said today.

Keegan said the attorney advising the village on the matter had said there were alternatives.

"There are other areas that will take federal detainees," Keegan said today, mentioning facilities in Orange County, N.Y., and Bergen County, N.J. "I can't see this stopping the program as long as somebody will accept criminals or felons."

A community meeting on the controversial issue will be 6 p.m. tomorrow at Suffern Village Hall, 61 Washington Ave.

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