Probing Fake Documents
By WINK News
August 21, 2007

Collier County Sheriff Don Hunter announced a new plan to target illegal immigrants. He says the plan will save taxpayers millions and send violent criminals back to their country.

Sheriff Hunter believes the training the deputies and officers are taking could save taxpayers $9 million a year. The figure is based on the number of illegal immigrants in the Collier County Jail which is around 25%.

25 deputies and officers from the road and the jail already started their training.

Barbara Gonzales with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, "They're being trained to know what a false document looks like so when we're presented with a visas and would at least have a suspicion."

The Government issues more than 230 types of Visas so identifying a fake one won't necessarily be easy. The goal is to identify criminals that are illegal immigrants so U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement can speed up the deportation process if possible.

Sheriff Hunter says, "The people we are arresting here that our criminal aliens are responsible for many, many criminal offenses here in Collier County. What we're doing is trying to break that cycle."

The Sheriff says there are 20 million illegal immigrants in the U.S. and only 5,700 immigration officers. The Collier County Sheriff's Office is one of three agencies in the country training with U.S. Federal Authorities. Sheriff Hunter believes other agencies in Florida and around the country will follow their lead.

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