The Associated Press
LAS VEGAS — Police are defending a program to identify illegal immigrants at the Clark County jail and turn them over to federal authorities for deportation, amid American Civil Liberties Union criticism that it could discourage immigrants from reporting crimes.
“This is a jail-based program,” Clark County Sheriff Doug Gillespie said Wednesday as he described Las Vegas police involvement with the U.S. Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Bureau 287(g) program. “Police officers out on the streets are not participating in this process.”
Las Vegas police, who administer the Clark County jail in Las Vegas, have been preparing for more than a year to implement the program, the first of its kind in Nevada, officials said. It is due to go into effect within several weeks.
Gary Peck, executive director of the ACLU of Nevada, called the partnership “a bad policy.”
Peck said it could discourage people from reporting crimes, and prevent witnesses from coming forward to aid in prosecution.
Steven Branch, a field office director for ICE detention and removal operations in Nevada, said Las Vegas police will be among 63 agencies nationwide involved in the program. He said more than 75,000 illegal immigrants had been identified through the program since 2006.
Police said 10 jail officers have undergone ICE training to screen inmates’ immigration status, focusing on those who are foreign-born, say they are not U.S. citizens, or who claim a “vague” place of birth.
Police Capt. John Donahue, who is involved in the program, said ICE paid for officer training and computer software and hardware. He said five of the 10 officers speak Spanish.
Branch and Gillespie said jail officials already ask inmates whether they were born in the United States. Branch said ICE officials visit the jail in downtown Las Vegas about once a week.
Branch said inmates whose citizenship is in question could be deported even if they are acquitted of criminal charges.