Cherokee Ledger News
\n26 November 2008<\/p>\n
Sheriff applies for deportation program<\/strong> After modifications to the federal 287(g) program, the Cherokee County Sheriff\u2019s Office has made application for the program.<\/p>\n It is part of the Immigration and Nationality Act and gives state and local law enforcement the authority to perform functions of immigration law enforcement through an agreement.<\/p>\n Sheriff Roger Garrison previously had said he wasn\u2019t interested in 287(g) because he didn\u2019t want the Cherokee County jail to become an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) holding facility. <\/p>\n Last year, the sheriff\u2019s office implemented an in-house program to help keep track of those in the country illegally. Capt. Karen Johnson said anyone who wasn\u2019t born in the United States, who is booked into the jail, is asked where they were born, and deputies determine that person\u2019s immigration status.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve been watching and staying abreast of all the latest changes and modifications,\u201d Garrison said.<\/p>\n He said he spoke to a sheriff in Gastonia, N.C., and found out that agency had a 72-hour clause, which would require ICE agents to take custody of the inmates.<\/p>\n \u201cThey had the 72-hour clause, and that sparked our interest,\u201d Garrison said. \u201cWe feel that is something reasonable.\u201d<\/p>\n In Mecklenburg County, N.C., which is in close proximity to Gastonia, there is an ICE holding facility. Garrison said inmates are taken to that holding facility and once a week, they are bused to Atlanta to go before a federal judge.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know of a holding facility around here, but, fortunately, we are close enough to Atlanta that they can service us pretty easily,\u201d Garrison said. <\/p>\n He said Cherokee kept being compared to Cobb County and their involvement with the 287(g) program.<\/p>\n Before there was an ability to ensure that illegal immigrants would be picked up in a timely manner by federal officials, Garrison said, Cherokee couldn\u2019t accommodate undocumented immigrants for an extended period of time like Cobb does because of its lesser resources.<\/p>\n \u201cCobb has a 3,000-bed jail and two correctional facilities, which gives them the capacity to distribute inmates throughout their entire system,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Cherokee\u2019s jail is equipped to house 512 inmates. It currently is over capacity at 560 inmates.<\/p>\n So far in 2008, Cherokee sheriff\u2019s deputies have arrested 1,477 non-U.S. citizens. Forty-five had ICE holds \u2014 38 were released to ICE; four were released to the state; and one was released \u201cto self,\u201d \u2014 and there currently are 13 inmates with ICE holds. <\/p>\n As part of the agency\u2019s application, Garrison sent a letter to ICE asking that nine detention officers\/deputy sheriff\u2019s receive training through the 287(g) program. <\/p>\n The officers selected for the program will be trained to identify, process and detain immigration offenders through their daily work. Those officers must be a U.S. citizen, must pass a Homeland Security background check, have at least two years of experience, have no pending disciplinary actions and successfully complete the jail enforcement officer training.<\/p>\n The process is still in its infancy stages and takes about 12 to 18 months to complete, Johnson said.<\/p>\n Last week, the sheriff\u2019s office received a response to their August letter requesting participation.<\/p>\n \u201cWe just received a letter back this week and now we get in touch with our contact in Atlanta and start a needs assessment evaluation,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cThey want to see whether or not we have a need. That\u2019s our next step.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\nBy Carolyn Mathews<\/p>\n