DHS Reshapes Its Immigration Enforcement Program

Washington Post ^ | October 16, 2009 | Spencer Hsu

[La Lydia]

A controversial federal program that deputizes state and local law enforcement agents to catch illegal immigrants is expanding under the Obama administration, despite changes intended to curb alleged racial profiling and other police abuses. The Department of Homeland Security is expected to report Friday that a small number of the 66 participating agencies have dropped out because of the new federal requirements. And those losses are offset by applications from 13 additional police and sheriff's departments...

Nationwide, the program identified about 60,000 illegal immigrants for deportation over the past year, the highest number since the program was expanded nationwide in 2006. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano in July said agencies that receive federal grants and training under the program would have 90 days to agree to new terms aimed at ending controversial police practices identified by congressional auditors and civil rights groups. Critics cited cases in which police conducted roadside stops and neighborhood sweeps aimed at Latinos and other ethnic groups, often arresting minorities for traffic and other minor offenses in pursuit of illegal immigrants.

...The agency has reined in local police units that target illegal immigrants at large, directing the units instead to focus on those who commit major drug offenses or violent crimes, especially those already incarcerated. Most prominently, the agency cut back authority it had given to Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, according to Arpaio. His operations in the Phoenix metropolitan area had led to charges of racial profiling and three federal investigations.

...those tactics...accounted for a small fraction of the 135,389 illegal immigrants caught under the program...the vast majority -- 94 percent -- were found by checks at local and state jails....

"We've refocused the program on identifying and removing serious criminal offenders, whether in jail or on the street," said a U.S. official...

[La Lydia]

God forbid that an effective way of enforcing our immigration laws should be allowed to stand.

[La Lydia]

DHS ping

[Tennessee Nana]

We’ve refocused the program on identifying and removing serious criminal offenders
_____________________________________

Good...

That would mean you’re rounding them all up...

[freekitty]

Well which is it catch them or coddle them?

[Tennessee Nana]

Well which is it catch them or coddle them?
______________________________________

Both...

Its catch and release...

[harpu]

4later

[JohnQ1]

“It’s catch and release....” ROTF! Thanks!

[AuntB]

The Squatter Support Squad of the GOP is out in full force to demonize anyone for enforcement and against amnesty. You will know the SSS by their insults and slanders and race baiting.
They are John McCain/Lindsey Graham supporters.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2362865/posts?page=34#34

Let me know if you would like to be on the AMNESTY ping list. The push for legalization is coming SOON.

[blackie]

You have your hands full. ;)

[jimt]

God forbid that an effective way of enforcing our immigration laws should be allowed to stand.

You betcha.

Somehow I have to balance out these claims of increased enforcement with the hordes of illegals that infest the parking lot of a local store, where they take over the bus stop to get out of the sun, and harass women trying to shop.

Or, 2 miles down the street where they hang out at every vacant lot and street corner, flipping people off and genrally being rowdy and obnoxious.

Or the illegals that infest a Shell station close to work, where I've had them come up and demand (not ask for) money. Fortunately the demand didn't escalate to violence, as I had a gas nozzle in my hand and a cigarette lighter in my pocket. But it wasn't pleasant.

Deport them all. NOW. And their anchor babies too.

[stephenjohnbanker]

“They are John McCain/Lindsey Graham supporters.”

Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dee

[stephenjohnbanker]

“We’ve refocused the program on identifying and removing serious criminal offenders
_____________________________________

Good...

That would mean you’re rounding them all up...”

L M B O