Thread: Relief sought for jails in county

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Relief sought for jails in county
PROGRAM: Board approves a planned unit to deport arrested illegal immigrants.

12:21 AM PDT on Wednesday, August 17, 2005


By BEN GOAD / The Press-Enterprise

Faced with estimates that at least 15 percent of the county's jail inmates are illegal immigrants, the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously supported a plan to create a sheriff's unit devoted to identifying and deporting undocumented arrestees.

Officials at San Bernardino's Mexican Consulate expressed disappointment with the action, suggesting that the program could lead to a backlash against the department within the county's Hispanic population.

"We are really concerned," said Deputy Mexican Consul Jeremias Guzman. "There could be a lack of trust in the sheriff's department in the community. People may be scared to report a crime."

With the board's approval, Sheriff Gary Penrod will create nine "custody specialist" positions to be based at the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers will train the specialists, who will be given limited federal powers within county jails, Capt. Bob Fonzi said during a presentation before the board.

Identifying and deporting the immigrants will free much-needed jail space, save millions of dollars associated with housing and give officials leverage to seek federal reimbursement funds, Fonzi said.

Fonzi and Penrod emphasized that the department will not seek out illegal immigrants on the county's streets. The proposed Identification Processing Unit will look at those under arrest, they said.

"This is not profiling," said Supervisor Paul Biane, who had asked Penrod to look into the matter several months ago. "These are criminals."

However, those found to be illegal immigrants would be deported even if they are found not guilty of the charge on which they were arrested, officials said.

Norm Nunez, of the sheriff's public affairs division, said several meetings have taken place between the department and concerned community groups, including San Bernardino's Mexican Consulate.

Guzman said concerns remain. A clear, respectful procedure must be put into place to ensure that arrestees are correctly classified by their immigration status, he said. There is fear that legal immigrants could be wrongfully deported, leading to a breakdown in relations between the department and parts of the community, he said.

Penrod said he plans to hold meetings with community groups to explain the program.

"We're sensitive to the concerns," Biane said. "But at the end of the day, they are in the country illegally."

Two Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are charged with identifying illegal immigrants in jails and lockups in San Bernardino and Riverside counties as well as parts of Los Angeles County, Fonzi said.

Understaffing has resulted in 4 percent of the county's jail population being identified as illegal immigrants, Fonzi said. New estimates, compiled by the sheriff's department with help from immigration officials, indicate 18 percent of inmates are undocumented, he said.

With a daily cost of $46.68 to house an inmate and an average stay of 28 days, the department concluded that the county is spending more than $11.7 million annually to house inmates who shouldn't be in the U.S. to begin with, Fonzi said.

The cost of implementing the program and training the specialists is slightly less than $650,000, he said

"We are really concerned," said Deputy Mexican Consul Jeremias Guzman. "There could be a lack of trust in the sheriff's department in the community. People may be scared to report a crime."

Clowns like this Guzman really get me going. Hey genius, if you are here illegally, you have committed a crime.