VA: Board clears way for jail to take on illegal immigrants

[had_enuf]

http://www.timescommunity.com/site/tab6 ... 6105&rfi=6

Board clears way for jail to take on illegal immigrants
By: Tara Slate Donaldson
02/07/2007

Over the objections of immigrant-rights activists, the Board of County Supervisors cleared the way on Tuesday for jail officers to deport illegal aliens.

The move is the latest in a series of maneuvers aimed at making the county inhospitable to illegal aliens.

"Prince William County is not going to be a welcoming place for illegal immigrants," said Brentsville Supervisor Wally Covington (R), who said he plans to present the federal government with a symbolic bill to cover the more than $3 million that illegal immigrants cost the county each year.

How it works

The idea is for officers at the county's Adult Detention Center to become trained as ICE, (immigration and customs enforcement) officers, which would allow them to deport dangerous criminals who are also illegal aliens.

Currently, when an illegal alien finishes serving time for a felony, county police can contact federal ICE officers, who can then begin deportation proceedings.

But Robert Hines, a senior special agent for ICE, said in December that ICE has a limited amount of time and resources so not all illegal aliens are deported after serving time. Only those who are deemed a significant threat to the community are deported.

If the county police become certified ICE officers, they will be the ones to decide whether the felon is deported, although final authority still rests with the federal ICE officials.

Initially, supervisors had considered the possibility of training police officers as ICE agents. That idea was scrapped after Police Chief Charlie Deane balked at that idea, arguing that it would hurt relations between the police and the entire Hispanic community.

Deane and other officials pointed out that since deportation proceedings are begun only after criminals have completed their jail sentences, it makes sense to instead train the jail officers who will process them.

And that's what Tuesday's resolution proposes to do, although it's not yet a done deal.

According to chairman Corey Stewart, the resolution simply "authorizes the county staff to get the ball rolling."

The resolution itself states that county officials will work with officials at the Adult Detention Center as they develop a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Homeland Security.

It also states that the board will "consider funding the additional positions and resources requested" for the job as part of the annual budget process this spring.

Supervisor Marty Nohe (R-Coles) indicated Tuesday that processing illegal immigrants for deportation would require roughly four full-time employees.

And since the county is faced with a budget shortfall and spending cuts are expected, it's not at all certain that supervisors will agree to the additional spending that would be required to pull off the ICE program.

"I'm not sure if it's going to be possible or not," Stewart said.

[CCUSA]

Sounds like a great idea!! Start doing it today and save American lives.

[Dixie]

This is actually a double victory. It appears that Manassas and Prince Willams share a county jail.

The Manassas City council has voted to support U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement training for Prince William-Manassas Regional Jail staff, assuming Prince William County agrees.

This is just plain old good news!

Dixie