Thread: Immigration Enforcement Activist Defends Revised 287(g)

Background:
DHS Seeks Weaker 287(g)
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-173779-.html

The Obama Administration's 287(g): An Analysis
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-173783-.html

Video:Lou Dobbs Segment on 287(g) Changes - Jon Feere of CIS
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-173782-.html


Immigration Enforcement Activist Defends Revised 287(g) Program
Thursday, October 8, 2009, 2:18 PM EDT

DA King, president of the Dustin Inman Society in Georgia, is encouraging local law enforcement to continue partnerships with the Department of Homeland Security despite the department's recent effort to weaken the program. DHS announced a few months ago that they were restructuring all active contracts, which as a result, would take some enforcement powers away from local police.

The most publicized example of the new DHS policy impacted Arizona's Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and the embattled Sheriff Joe Arpaio. The County Sheriff's Office is no longer empowered with making field arrests, but can still check immigration status in county jails. While many pro-287(g) groups slammed DHS for the move, DA King is telling them to calm down.

In a blog posted on the website for the Dustin Inman Society, DA King wrote...

While the outrage and concern over the changes in the 287 (g) agreement between Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio and the DHS is certainly understandable, it seems that reports of 287 g’s demise in Maricopa County - and the nation - are premature.

It is true that many interested parties are trying to kill 287 (g) - you can see a recent letter to the president HERE -, but it is not as bad as it may seem. Pro-enforcement Americans should all calm down a little.

Arpaio has not lost his ability to use the 287(g) section of the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act.

What has happened is that in addition to altering and standardizing all 287 (g) agreements with local law enforcement, DHS has eliminated Arpaio’s authorization to use 287 (g) trained deputies on the street.

The Maricopa sheriff’s office can continue use of the valuable federal 287 g authority and database to screen non-citizens for immigration status who are charged with local crimes and are brought into his jail.

The New York Times article on Maricopa County reported that of the 33,000 immigration referals made by the county in the last two years, only 300 came from field arrests. The rest were made through immigration checks at the jail.

King writes that this is the case with the majority of 287(g) programs.

In most cases, having been incarcerated, the illegal’s fingerprints are now on file with law enforcement. Even if the local charges do not result in deportation, having become known to law enforcement and fingerprinted serves as a very strong deterrent for the illegals to remain in the community using 287 (g).

King further argues that the 287(g) program will remain effective because of the criticism it still receives from 287(g) opponents. The ACLU issued a press release entitled "ICE Should Terminate Maricopa County 287(g) Agreement Scaling Back Sheriff Arpaio's Immigration Enforcement Authority Does Not Go Far Enough, Says ACLU."

Their objections rest mainly on two points. One that 287 (g) somehow results in "racial profiling." They are ever hopeful that the general public will not realize that all non citizens are screened for immigration status after have been charged with local crimes.

The other is that local enforcement of American immigration laws somehow "makes the community less safe."

King shows, however, that the ACLU's claims are wrong. In a 287(g) test conducted in Gwinnett County Georgia who recently signed a 287(g) agreement, DHS screened inmates for 26 days. They found 900 inmates were in the country illegally, and more than half had prior criminal records. They found 13 who had previously been charged with murder, 11 charged with kidnapping, 15 charged with rape and 23 charged with child molestation. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution provided a more detailed report.

While 287 (g) is saving American lives and jobs, what we are proving nationwide is quite simple: Enforcement works.

-- DA King

http://www.numbersusa.com/content/news/ ... ogram.html

The following information about the 287(g) program appeared above the original article:

Local Enforcement - 287(g)

Overview

The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1996 added the 287(g) provision that allows the Department of Homeland Security to enter into contracts with state and local law enforcement agencies. The provision provides training for local officers who will help enforce immigration law under the supervision of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. As of August 2008, there were 63 local municipalities that were part of the 287(g) program.

Mr. King's Blog appears below.

October 8, 2009
Enforcement works and 287 (g) is alive and functioning well, including in Maricopa County, Arizona… and Georgia
Posted by D.A. King at 12:57 pm

Enforcement works and 287 (g) is alive and functioning well, including in Maricopa County Arizona …and Georgia

D.A. King
October 8, 2009

While the outrage and concern over the changes in the 287 (g) agreement between Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio and the DHS is certainly understandable, it seems that reports of 287 g’s demise in Maricopa County - and the nation - are premature.

It is true that many interested parties are trying to kill 287 (g) - you can see a recent letter to the president HERE - but it is not as bad as it may seem. Pro-enforcement Americans should all calm down a little.

Arpaio has not lost his ability to use the 287(g) section of the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act.

What has happened is that in addition to altering and standardizing all 287 (g) agreements with local law enforcement, DHS has eliminated Arpaio’s authorization to use 287 (g) trained deputies on the street.

The Maricopa sheriff’s office can continue use of the valuable federal 287 (g) authority and database to screen non-citizens for immigration status who are charged with local crimes and are brought into his jail.

This is important to understand.

According to a recent New York Times report Arpaio says:

“the vast majority of the 33,000 arrests of illegal immigrants his office has made in the past two years under the agreement followed a check on the immigration status of people in jails. About 300 have been arrested in the field during “crime suppressionâ€

So my license can be run from the patrol car and the cop know who I am probably with my military fingerprint.

But we are going to allow stupid illegal aliens in a car not to be Verified.

Don't check me either, don't check anyone if you cannot check everyone.

Don't even pull up tag to name and resident information.

I am so sick for safety and security of our country's people. The the front lines are broken as if we are in WAR.

What has happened is that in addition to altering and standardizing all 287 (g) agreements with local law enforcement, DHS has eliminated Arpaio’s authorization to use 287 (g) trained deputies on the street.

The Maricopa sheriff’s office can continue use of the valuable federal 287 g authority and database to screen non-citizens for immigration status who are charged with local crimes and are brought into his jail.

This makes no sense. They are forcing cops to hang wallpaper with one arm tied around the back.

The white house or Homeland Security have no right to change the laws as written, only congress can do that...they are over stepping their bounds and they need to be stopped!

From "Obama Shows No Intent to Prosecute Illegals"
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-174002-.html

"Now, because of Arpaio's effectiveness, which few other sheriffs were willing to do--being bought off by federal law enforcement grants and political promises--the Obama administration is having to show its true colors, directly prohibiting enforcement of immigration status, through a change in the language of the federal-state agreement, known as 287g.

This sets up a potential battle between Congress and the executive branch. Technically the law passed by Congress spells out no such limitation, and therefore HSA has no authority to decree such a limitation. Rep. LAMAR SMITH explained this fact:

"I WAS THE HOUSE AUTHOR of the 1996 immigration bill that included the 287(g) program and...THERE'S NOTHING IN THE LGISLATION THAT LIMITS THE PROGRAM TO DETAINING THOSE WHO COMMITTED SERIOUS CRIMES. The goal was not that at all; the goal was to enable those local law enforcement authorities who wanted to, to enforce the immigration laws in whatever way they thought best. And that might or might not include those who committed serious crimes.'"