Bill planned to mandate criminal tracking of immigrants


December 01, 2010 7:45 PM
JOHN SCHROYER
THE GAZETTE

Colorado likely will have a new tool next year with which to combat illegal immigration.

Two state lawmakers are teaming with El Paso Sheriff Terry Maketa to push a bill in the state Capitol that would require the state to use a national criminal tracking program designed to identify illegal immigrants with criminal records.

The program, called Secure Communities, automatically cross-references the fingerprints of anyone arrested and charged with any crime with all FBI and Department of Homeland Security records. Currently, fingerprints are run only through the Department of Justice database.

“It’s just one more tool in the toolbox that we can use to protect citizens of the state from these criminals that are coming over from Mexico,â€