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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Karla Crocker
09052006018
(o) 862-8235
(m) 335-7345
CRIMINAL JUSTICE LEADERS ANNOUNCE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT REFORM
Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall, Chief Ronal Serpas, and District
Attorney General Torry Johnson announced Tuesday a plan to make sweeping
changes in the way the Davidson County criminal justice system deals with
criminal illegal immigrants. In a request letter to the federal government,
Hall has asked that sheriff’s deputies be allowed to enforce federal
immigration laws as it relates to criminal illegal immigrants.
The program, referred to as 287 (g), originated in the Immigration and
Nationality Act passed by Congress. The initiative is designed to multiply
the forces of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) through
enhanced cooperation and communication with state and local law
enforcement. Under the agreement, once approved, ICE will provide training
to deputies followed by authorization to identify, process, and when
appropriate, detain criminal illegal immigrants encountered in the booking
process.
“During 2006, several very serious cases involving criminal illegal
immigrants in Nashville prompted the three of us to begin formulating plans
to better protect the citizens of Davidson County. Recognizing that no plan
or program is perfect, the 287 (g) option appears to be well suited for
Nashville and we immediately began making further inquiries about its
implementation here,” Hall, Serpas, and Johnson said.
“While Nashville is doing more than most cities by routinely checking
foreign born arrestees against an ICE database, it is clear that we can make
our processes even stronger, but the federal government must grant our
request. The three of us agree that the process we propose is in the best
interest of everyone, including the law abiding immigrant population,” Hall,
Serpas and Johnson said.
The Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) in Charlotte,
North Carolina, began participation in 287 (g) earlier this year. Hall
visited MCSO recently and discovered after five months, deputies have
processed more than 1,000 offenders who indicated a place of birth other
than the United States. Of those, more than 450 criminal illegal immigrants
have been placed in deportation proceedings. According to Hall, those
numbers are in great contrast to what is happening locally.
“In fiscal year 2006, we encountered just over 4,000 individuals in our
booking room who indicated they were foreign born. During that same time
period, there were only 156 deportation holds placed by ICE officials,” Hall
said. “If we can get approval to participate in 287 (g), we will have
direct access to the federal information – just like Mecklenburg County –
and our trained deputies can initiate deportation proceedings on criminal
illegal immigrants.”
Success of the program has pushed federal officials to
proceed with developing a deportation court in Mecklenburg County that
should be online next year. Once federal authorization to participate in
the program is granted, the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office plans to mirror
the MCSO program.
“My staff and I have been in daily contact with Mecklenburg County Sheriff
Jim Pendergraph and members of his staff. I am impressed by the program’s
efficiency and believe, based on what we know, that Davidson County will see
similar results; however, we need the support of federal officials to get
this plan moving on to the next step,” Hall said.
Hall has met with U.S. Representative Jim Cooper’s staff and describes
Cooper as, “extremely supportive of what we are trying to accomplish and
will provide all the assistance he possibly can at the federal level.”
Cooper joined local officials for the announcement this week.
Hall, Serpas, and Johnson hope to receive approval in the coming weeks and
will continue meetings to formulate local procedures to ensure the program’s
objectives are met. Davidson County will be the third local jurisdiction
east of Phoenix, Arizona, participating in 287 (g) and the only one in
Tennessee.
“It is important for us to emphasize that this program will affect only
those illegal immigrants who have a blatant disregard for laws in Davidson
County. If you are in this country illegally and commit a crime, we will
process you under the federal authority given to us through 287 (g),” Hall,
Serpas, and Johnson concluded.
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