Thread: 2 more LA. Counties now I.C.E. Secure Communities

I.C.E. News Release

November 24, 2010
Alexandria, LA

Caddo and St. Tammany parishes to benefit from ICE strategy to use biometrics to identify and remove aliens convicted of a crime

ALEXANDRIA, La.-On Tuesday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began using a federal information sharing capability in Caddo and St. Tammany parishes that helps federal immigration officials use biometrics to identify aliens, both lawfully and unlawfully present in the United States, who are booked into local law enforcement's custody for a crime. This capability is part of Secure Communities-ICE's comprehensive strategy to improve and modernize the identification and removal of aliens convicted of a crime from the United States.

Previously, biometrics-fingerprints-taken of individuals charged with a crime and booked into custody were checked for criminal history information against the Department of Justice's (DOJ) Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS). Now, through enhanced information sharing between DOJ and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), biometrics submitted through the state to the FBI will be automatically checked against both the FBI criminal history records in IAFIS and the biometrics-based immigration records in DHS's Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT).

If fingerprints match those of someone in DHS' biometric system, the new automated process notifies ICE. ICE evaluates each case to determine the individual's immigration status and takes appropriate enforcement action. This includes aliens who are in lawful status and those who are present without lawful authority. Once identified through fingerprint matching, ICE will respond with a priority placed on aliens convicted of the most serious crimes first-such as those with convictions for major drug offenses, murder, rape and kidnapping.

"The Secure Communities strategy provides ICE with an effective tool to identify criminal aliens in local custody," said Secure Communities Assistant Director David Venturella. "Enhancing public safety is at the core of ICE's mission. Our goal is to use biometric information sharing to remove criminal aliens, preventing them from being released back into the community, with little or no additional burden on our law enforcement partners."

With the expansion of the biometric information sharing capability to Caddo and St. Tammany Parishes, ICE is using this capability in seven Louisiana jurisdictions. Across the country, ICE is using this capability in 792 jurisdictions in 34 states. By 2013, ICE plans to be able to respond nationwide to all fingerprint matches generated through IDENT/IAFIS interoperability.

"The Caddo Sheriff's Office is honored to be the first law enforcement agency selected in our area to participate in this initiative and take advantage of the ICE database. This is another example of local and federal agencies working together successfully to keep our communities safe," said Caddo Sheriff Steve Prator.

Since ICE began using this enhanced information sharing capability in October 2008, immigration officers have removed from the United States more than 50,600 aliens convicted of a crime. ICE does not regard aliens charged with, but not yet convicted of crimes, as "criminal aliens." Instead, a "criminal alien" is an alien convicted of a crime. In accordance with the Immigration and Nationality Act, ICE continues to take action on aliens subject to removal as resources permit.

The IDENT system is maintained by DHS's US-VISIT program and IAFIS is maintained by the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS).

"US VISIT is proud to support ICE, helping provide decision makers with comprehensive, reliable information when and where they need it," said US-VISIT Director Robert Mocny. "By enhancing the interoperability of DHS's and the FBI's biometric systems, we are able to give federal, state and local decision makers information that helps them better protect our communities and our nation."

"Under this plan, ICE will be utilizing FBI system enhancements that allow improved information sharing at the state and local law enforcement level based on positive identification of incarcerated criminal aliens," said Daniel D. Roberts, assistant director of the FBI's CJIS Division. "Additionally, ICE and the FBI are working together to take advantage of the strong relationships already forged between the FBI and state and local law enforcement necessary to assist ICE in achieving its goals."

For more information about how ICE is using biometrics to identify aliens convicted of a crime, visit www.ice.gov/secure_communities.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security.

ICE is a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities. For more information, visit www.ICE.gov. To report suspicious activity, call 1-866-347-2423.

U.S. Dept of Homeland Security

http://www.ice.gov/news/releases/1011/1 ... andria.htm

LINK for "contacts":

http://www.caddo.org/contact.cfm

I hope a few of you email Parish officials and explain you support Secure Communities, for it makes the community safer and more secure.

Link for Tammany Parish:

http://www.stpgov.org/contact.php

Pls consider send an email to the Parish officoals explaining your support for Secure Communities.

I have no doubt the "other side" will fill their ears will lies about this type of immigration enforcement.

Originally Posted by magyart

LINK for "contacts":

http://www.caddo.org/contact.cfm

I hope a few of you email Parish officials and explain you support Secure Communities, for it makes the community safer and more secure.

All of the more than 3,000 communities in the U.S. will be activated by the end of 2013.

When a community becomes part of the I.C.E. Secure Community Program is more up to I.C.E. than the community.
A community saying they want it might speed it up a bit, or not.
A community saying they don't want it might slow it down a bit, or not.

And on the county jail website here, there are repeat offenders of non-serious crimes. But hey if their at least getting the worst of the worst outta here that's something. And anything is better than nothing.