Hall and Whitfield counties to benefit from ICE strategy to use biometrics to identify and remove aliens convicted of a crime

GAINESVILLE, Ga.-On Wednesday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began using a federal information sharing capability in Hall and Whitfield counties that helps federal immigration officials use biometrics identify aliens, both lawfully and unlawfully present in the United States, who are booked into local law enforcement’s custody for a crime.

(Media-Newswire.com) – GAINESVILLE, Ga.-On Wednesday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) began using a federal information sharing capability in Hall and Whitfield counties that helps federal immigration officials use biometrics identify aliens, both lawfully and unlawfully present in the United States, who are booked into local law enforcement’s custody for a crime. This capability is part of Secure Communities-ICE’s comprehensive strategy to improve and modernize the identification and removal of aliens convicted of a crime from the United States.

Previously, biometrics — fingerprints — taken of individuals charged with a crime and booked into custody were checked for criminal history information against the Department of Justice’s ( DOJ ) Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System ( IAFIS ). Now, through enhanced information sharing between DOJ and the Department of Homeland Security ( DHS ), biometrics submitted through the state to the FBI will be automatically checked against both the FBI criminal history records in IAFIS and the biometrics-based immigration records in DHS’s Automated Biometric Identification System ( IDENT ).

If fingerprints match those of someone in DHS’ biometric system, the new automated process notifies ICE. ICE evaluates each case to determine the individual’s immigration status and takes appropriate enforcement action. This includes aliens who are in lawful status and those who are present without lawful authority. Once identified through fingerprint matching, ICE will respond with a priority placed on aliens convicted of the most serious crimes first-such as those with convictions for major drug offenses, murder, rape and kidnapping.

“The Secure Communities strategy provides ICE with an effective tool to identify criminal aliens in local custody,” said Secure Communities Assistant Director David Venturella. “Enhancing public safety is at the core of ICE’s mission. Our goal is to use biometric information sharing to remove criminal aliens, preventing them from being released back into the community, with little or no additional burden on our law enforcement partners.”

With the expansion of the biometric information sharing capability to Hall and Whitfield counties, ICE is using this capability in eight Georgia jurisdictions, including Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett and Muscogee counties. Across the country, ICE is using this capability in 685 jurisdictions in 33 states. By 2013, ICE plans to be able to respond nationwide to all fingerprint matches generated through IDENT/IAFIS interoperability.

Since ICE began using this enhanced information sharing capability in October 2008, immigration officers have removed from the United States more than 46,800 aliens convicted of a crime. ICE does not regard aliens charged with, but not yet convicted of crimes, as “criminal aliens.” Instead, a “criminal alien” is an alien convicted of a crime. In accordance with the Immigration and Nationality Act, ICE continues to take action on aliens subject to removal as resources permit.

The IDENT system is maintained by DHS’s US-VISIT program and IAFIS is maintained by the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services ( CJIS ).

“US VISIT is proud to support ICE, helping provide decision makers with comprehensive, reliable information when and where they need it,” said US-VISIT Director Robert Mocny. “By enhancing the interoperability of DHS’s and the FBI’s biometric systems, we are able to give federal, state and local decision makers information that helps them better protect our communities and our nation.”

“Under this plan, ICE will be utilizing FBI system enhancements that allow improved information sharing at the state and local law enforcement level based on positive identification of incarcerated criminal aliens,” said Daniel D. Roberts, assistant director of the FBI’s CJIS Division. “Additionally, ICE and the FBI are working together to take advantage of the strong relationships already forged between the FBI and state and local law enforcement necessary to assist ICE in achieving its goals.”

For more information about how ICE is using biometrics to identify aliens convicted of a crime, visit www.ice.gov/secure_communities.

For the most up-to-date ICE information, sign up for ICE e-mail alerts. You may also visit us on Twitter and YouTube.

“A bold plan to solve America’s illegal immigration problem”

Former Colorado governor Dick Lamm and Lawrence Harrison:

We can end the political stalemate if we summon the courage to end illegal immigration, provide amnesty at a price, and be more selective about who we welcome into the country.

HERE

Excuse me while I go take a shower.

Diario Rotativo (Queretaro, Qro.) 10/14/10

Undocumented in Yucatan

Mexican immigration officials called it somewhat unusual, but in the city of Merida they found four aliens illegally in Mexico; three of them were labeled as Hindus and one as Central American. And at the same city’s airport, they found two others also illegally in Mexico, one from China and the other from Guatemala. All six are now detained.

HERE

ADDED DECEMBER 10, 2010: The “G7” send an invitiation to Morton to expain ICE position. HERE

ADDED NOVEMBER 18, 2010: ICE REPLY HERE

In conversations with ICE officials, I recently learned that while several other states already are using the federal Secure Communities program state-wide, Georgia was not scheduled to become fully active until 2013.

Currently, Cobb, Cherokee (soon), Fulton, Muscogee, DeKalb, Clayton, Gwinnett, Whitfield and Hall counties – and all local jails in these counties – are active in the no-cost and very effective Secure Communities program.

The Dustin Inman Society finds the 2013 date unacceptable. We suffer more illegal aliens here than lurk in Arizona.

We are extremely proud and grateful to the Georgia Congressmen who agree with us and have signed on to a letter originated in Congressman Dr. Tom Price’s office asking ICE Assistant Secretary John Morton to alter the target date and make Georgia fully active as soon as possible.

THANK YOU CONGRESSMEN!

The letter from Congressmen Price, Broun, Gingrey, Graves, Kingston and Linder can be read HERE. (CLICK ON IT TO ENLARGE)

We urge readers here to call each Congressional office and and express their gratitude for sending the letter and attention to the increased public safety that comes with the Secure Communities program.

CONTACT INFO HERE .

HERE is an extremely well written news report on Secure Communities for the many who are not yet familiar with this life-saving federal program.

I would have posted this Wednesday, but was quite busy with the Board of Regents and the anti-enforcement mob’s race-baiting rally ( 14 people) against 287(g) here in Cobb County yesterday.

PLEASE CALL THESE CONGRESSMEN AND SAY THANK YOU!

To learn about the anti-enforcement crazies opposition to Secure Communities and 287(g) click HERE.

New York Times

Five public colleges in Georgia ban illegal-alien students

…On Wednesday, [illegal alien “rights”] groups protested the board’s decision. — “Let’s not go back to an era when we deny education to a certain group of people,” said Eva Cardeles, 23, a sociology student. — But D. A. King, a Georgia-based anti-[illegal] immigration activist, said the ban was only the first step. Republican state lawmakers are expected to introduce bills next session to extend the ban to all state colleges…

HERE

Times-Herald — Newnan, Ga.

Illegal immigration foe says blame government, those who employ aliens

When people want to assign blame for America’s illegal immigration problem, “I urge you — blame the alien last,” said D.A. King, speaking to the Coweta Tea Party Tuesday night. — First, blame the government, King said. Then blame the people who employ illegal [aliens]…

HERE

La Times

L.A. County extends project to identify illegal immigrants in its jails

Sheriff’s custody assistants will continue to interview suspected undocumented inmates and pass their findings on to federal immigration officials for possible deportation under a program that began in 2006.

HERE

NBC TV in Atlanta: 11 Alive

Georgians Challenge Federal Immigration Law

Paul Crawley

Last Updated On: 10/14/2010 7:26:35 PM

ATLANTA — A potential class-action lawsuit has been filed in federal court in Atlanta over a government program that allows local authorities to enforce federal immigration law.

Marietta lawyer Erik Meder with Ave Maria Legal Services filed the lawsuit last Friday on behalf of three immigrants in Georgia.

Experts say it could be the first lawsuit to directly challenge the legitimacy of the program known as 287(g), which was designed to catch dangerous criminals.

The lawsuit claims that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has improperly delegated its power to local authorities and names various county, state and federal officials.

“287(g) essentially abdicates that discretionary authority to state actors,” claimed attorney Meder. “Congress entrusted the Constitution, entrusts it only to the federal government.”

The lawsuit alleges that ICE has failed to train, supervise and otherwise oversee sheriff’s deputies in Cobb County.

“It is time for the federal government to initiate an investigation into the abuses we’re seeing every day in Cobb and Gwinnett County,” Azadel Shahshahani with the Georgia American Civil Liberties Union said at a protest against 287(g) on Thursday. The Georgia ACLU and several Latino groups accuse Cobb and Gwinnett counties of racial profiling.

“The law’s the law,” Cobb County Sheriff Neil Warren said last spring, defending his department’s role in deporting illegal immigrants.

Only four of Georgia’s 159 counties — Cobb, Gwinnett, Hall and Whitfield — currently participate in the 287(g) program.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.) HERE

HERE