Federal Law Authorizes Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to

Train Local Officers in Immigration Enforcement Techniques

(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch, the public interest group that fights government corruption, announced today that it has uncovered government documents that indicate local law enforcement officers can be effective in enforcing our nation’s immigration laws.  Judicial Watch obtained the documents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) as part of its continuing investigation of the federal government’s failure to secure the borders.

According to the documents, the 1996 Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) “authorized the Secretary of Homeland Security to enter into a written agreement to delegate the authority of enforcing federal immigration laws to a state or political sub-division of a state.”  Through Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), local law enforcement officers can receive immigration enforcement training – called “287(g) cross designation training.”  The cost for the five-week program is approximately $520 per officer.

Highlights from the documents include:

• As of June 2006, 136 officers received 287(g) training from four states, including, Alabama, Arizona, California and Florida.
   
• 287(g)-trained law enforcement officers have accounted for 820 immigration-related arrests since the program began in 2002.
   
• While many of the arrests relate to fraudulent documents, others involve rape, drug possession, firearm possession, driving under the influence, and burglary.

The documents note that certain states and localities inquired about the training program, but failed to follow through, including:  Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Virginia.

“Some local law enforcement agencies claim they lack the ability to enforce our nation’s immigration laws.  These documents prove that claim false,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.  “Local communities that want to help enforce immigration laws can do so legally and cost effectively.”

Judicial Watch filed its original FOIA request on July 12, 2005 and received the documents on June 20, 2006.  To read the documents, click here.