Homeland Security revises immigration partnership with local jails

Washington Examiner
By: David Sherfinski
Examiner Staff Writer

August 23, 2009 The Department of Homeland Security is requiring counties that participate in its illegal-immigration enforcement program to agree to a new focus on violent criminals.

The agency is telling counties, including Prince William and Loudoun, to sign a new memorandum of agreement for its 287(g) program or end their agreements. The program allows state and local law enforcement agencies to enforce some federal immigration laws.

Loudoun County staff and the county attorney are reviewing the revised memo, said sheriff’s office spokesman Kraig Troxell. The memo is also under review in Prince William County, said police department spokeswoman Kim Chinn.

Prince William has turned over 1,600 suspected illegal immigrants to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a division of the Department of Homeland Security, since July 2007.

Participating law enforcement agencies have until early October to sign the revised agreement or stop participating in the program.

“I think it is a continuation more [than] a change,â€