Utah jails processing illegal immigrants
Reported by: Annie Cutler
Last Update: 4/16 9:32 pm

(ABC 4 News )
(ABC 4 News )
OGDEN, Utah (ABC 4 News) - Utah Senate Bill 81 is controversial. It gives local law enforcement more authority to deal with undocumented immigrants and there’s a hot debate about it. But two Utah counties are already using what's called cross-deputization.

Weber and Washington Counties have already cross-deputized some of their corrections officers. It’s Section 2879g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. This authorizes the secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to enter into agreements with state and local law enforcement agencies, permitting designated officers to perform immigration law enforcement functions.

Since October in Weber County alone trained corrections officers have processed nearly 200 illegal immigrants. Captain Kevin Burton says, “It’s an effort to be a partner in the community to screen those who are foreign born and who are committing criminal activity in our city and screen them for deportation if that's appropriate that's what we do.â€