Thread: VA - ICE training for jail officials sought

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Richmond Times-Dispatch Jan 22, 2007


ICE training for jail officials sought

MANASSAS -- The chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors said he will ask the board to allow jail officials to receive federal immigration-enforcement training.

Chairman Corey A. Stewart announced his plan last week after the Prince William-Manassas Jail Board approved a program that would allow corrections officers to work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Law-enforcement officers with ICE training would be allowed to enforce immigration laws under certain conditions. The program is designed to identify illegal immigrants who have been involved in serious or violent crimes, such as human smuggling, organized crime, criminal gang activity, money laundering, narcotics or smuggling and deport them.

The Prince William supervisors are scheduled to consider Stewart's request next month.

Stewart seeks ICE training

By KEITH WALKER
kwalker@manassasjm.com
Friday, January 19, 2007


Prince William Chairman Corey A. Stewart, R-at large, announced Thursday that he will ask the Prince William Board of County Supervisors to allow jail officials to receive supplemental training from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Stewart, flanked by Attorney General Bob McDonnell at the McCoart Administration Center on Thursday, made the announcement a day after the Prince William-Manassas Jail Board approved a program that would allow corrections officers work with immigration officials.

Prince William Police Chief Charlie T. Deane and Manassas Police Chief John J. Skinner have opposed the training for police officers, saying that the training would erode public trust among the immigrant community.

They said corrections officers would be better placed to receive the four weeks of training.

Under section 287(g) of Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, law enforcement officers with ICE training would be allowed to act as immigration officials and enforce immigration laws under certain conditions. The program is designed to identify illegal immigrants who have been involved in serious or violent crimes, such as human smuggling, organized crime, criminal gang activity, money laundering, narcotics or smuggling and deport them.

"This is a public safety matter. It is not an anti-immigrant matter. This is a matter of removing from our community violent criminal offenders," Stewart said.

Stewart said he agreed that the jail would act as a good clearinghouse. "At that point, they've already been arrested for some underlying offense," Stewart said of those arrested for violent crimes.

"They're already there. Instead of releasing them on bond ... at this point we could begin and initiate deportation proceedings up to a certain point and then turn them over to ICE," Stewart said.

The resolution to have corrections officials enter into a memorandum of understanding to train with ICE will be before the Board of County Supervisors on Feb. 7, Stewart said.

Col. Skip Land, superintendent of the Prince William-Manassas regional jail, said he would have to hire four new officers to implement the program.

The county faces an $18.1 million shortfall that is likely to increase before next year, but Stewart said hiring four new officers would be a "relatively minimal expenditure."

"We'll make it happen," Stewart said.

Exact figures for hiring four corrections officers were not available.

Officials in Florida, Alabama, Arizona, California, Massachusetts and North Carolina have given some of their law enforcement officials ICE training, McDonnell said.

"It has worked well in those other states, so I believe it is a very positive move that Prince William County wants to take that initiative," McDonnell said.

The town of Herndon, the city of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County have also considered ICE training, McDonnell said, adding ICE training could begin as early as 90 days after a jurisdiction petitioned Homeland Security.