L.A. County inmates to have immigration status checked as part of new program

All inmates booked into jails throughout Los Angeles County will have their immigration status checked beginning today, but federal officials said they don’t have the resources to deport all illegal immigrants with criminal records who are identified.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement will prioritize illegal immigrants with prior convictions for violent crimes, including murder, rape, kidnapping and robbery. Though immigration officials plan to assess every case individually, they said some with less serious criminal records may be released back into the community.

“The reality of the situation is that we don’t presently have the resources to respond to every single person,” agency head John Morton said during a recent visit to Los Angeles. “We are focusing on the worst of the worst.”

Morton said the issue is “something we are going to need to work out with the Congress and the administration.”

The Secure Communities program began last fall and is now in nearly 80 counties, including Ventura and San Diego. The government plans to have it up and running in all jails and prisons by the end of 2013. The program is part of the administration’s focus on targeting illegal immigrants who have criminal records.

Nationwide, about 12% of all inmates checked were here illegally and had prior criminal convictions. Of those, about 6,700 had been convicted of violent crimes. Another roughly 60,000 had other criminal convictions.

In Los Angeles County, more than 40 law enforcement agencies will run inmates’ fingerprints through federal databases during the booking process to see if the inmates have had any contact with the immigration system.

Immigration officials will then determine the inmates’ immigration status, check the criminal record and place holds on those with a prior conviction of a serious crime.

Once those inmates finish serving their time, they will be transferred to immigration custody for possible deportation.

If inmates have been previously deported or have outstanding orders, they also will be subject to removal, said Trey Lund, field office director of detention and removal operations for ICE in Los Angeles.

Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, said Secure Communities is a good program but has limitations because of lack of detention beds.

“By not increasing detention space, the administration seems to be suggesting that it is not all that serious about it,” he said. “When illegal immigrants are identified, it is preferable that we don’t just let them go.”

Immigration officials said that the new screening process avoids concerns about racial profiling because every inmates’ fingerprints are checked.

“In a nut shell, it takes the guess work out of it,” Lund said.

But Joan Friedland of the National Immigration Law Center said she is concerned about the racial profiling that occurs before booking. Friedland also said she doesn’t trust that Immigration and Customs Enforcement will only deport those with serious criminal convictions.

Anecdotal evidence from counties using Secure Communities shows that people are being deported based on minor crimes, she said.

-- Anna Gorman

Photo: A cellblock at Sybil Brand Institute for Women in Monterey Park. Credit: Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Beast]

It's about time, this should have been done many years ago

[Marcus]

Well, it appears we will never be able to satisfy immigration advocates, even at the detriment of American well being. We're in a economic woe, major loss of jobs, and they want more immigrant workers, we have a Mexican crime wave, and they dont want immigration statuses checked of known gang members, we have a crumbling medical system, and they want to cover them with health insurance at tax payer expense, they are breaking the law by driving, and they want to give them licenses, our schools are failing American children, but they want to hold back their progress to bring children that do not speak English as a primary language up to their failing status, they want to provide them employment, even though the competition is bringing down wages for Americans, and now they have the nerve to be skeptical of Law Enforcement taking steps to protect Americans from illegal offenders, because non violent offenders who also broke the law might be caught up in the net.

Please give me a break, if your so concerned with the well being of those populations here illegally, petition their native countries to change the condition at home for them, so non of this would even be an issue.

Its obvious to me, that your not concerned about your American counter parts, or you would be doing more to help Americans overcome the conditions they find themselves in, and some of it is due to the illegal immigrant population.

[Steve]

So what if people are being deported for minor crimes. The point is that they are here illegally right. And what's this "racial profiling". Chances are if a hispanic man is speaking spanish, and next to him is a white man speaking english, the hispanic is way more likely to be an illegal alien. I'm not saying they all are, but statistically it's true. The law is the law, and facts are facts. Once we put justice in front of being "PC" only then we might make some progress.

[KJ]

We're just NOW checking to see if inmates are illegal immigrants? How many years now have we been paying to house other country's criminals in our jails?? How many people in charge have their heads up their ass? Answer=apparently all of them.

Shouldn't it be the law that when you commit a crime in this country as an illegal immigrant you are immediately shipped back to your home country to be jailed?

Mark Krikorian says it's "preferable that we don't let illegals back into the community"? OMG. So, we're releasing illegals who've committed crimes back into our communities instead of deporting them, because....?????

I think I'll learn Canada's national anthem and move there.

[Michael]

"[But Joan Friedland of the National Immigration Law Center]... also said she doesn’t trust that Immigration and Customs Enforcement will only deport those with serious criminal convictions."

So she's concerned that we might deport illegal aliens with less than serious criminal convictions? Who the hell is this woman and why should anyone care what she thinks? She is out of touch with what is desired by US citizens and what is the law. We should definitely be deporting ALL illegal aliens. She should leave the US and go live in Mexico! We don't need her type here.

[Sean]

What a damn joke. Speaking as a son of legal immigrants - I don't know which is more appalling, the fact that this is a new program or that the Feds won't be deporting all of these criminals. More of a burden for the tax payer. No wonder the "Part Time Legislature" movement is gaining speed. Go riddance you hacks!

[Cgopat]

They should ALL be deported! Even for the most minor of violations. There are many law abiding people who are waiting to come here legally. Why should we allow those who are here illegally to stay here. Especially if they don't want to obey our laws! It's a no brainer! If the liberals, like Joan Friedland, have their way, they'd allow EVERYONE into our country. Who's going to pay for that? I'm sure she doesn't have illegals in her neighborhood urinating in the gutter or drinking beer on the street corner. She's a perfect example of NIMBY (not in my backyard)!

[the watchdog]

this is confirmation of the mess we are in...it is only an estimate but it says 12% of all criminals in our jails are here illegally...when is america going to wake up and send the illegals home where they belong. better yet...when will americans realize that border security is about security in your home...in your school...in your neighborhood? americans are so stupid as not to believe that the mexicans, the baby factories and anchor babies, will be running the country given their numbers in 20 years. they already run LA county with our mayor and county supervisors bending over backwards to stop any form of deportation of the illegals and give them all citizenship...send them home to mexico!!!

[Wandagb]

"but federal officials said they don’t have the resources to deport all illegal immigrants with criminal records who are identified"

Unbelievable. Hire a Mexican truck company and have them truck them home!

[Richard]

Good get rid of them.
So what if they are deported for minor crimes? So darn what!
When I travel and lived in Latin America, I tended to behave myself and obey their laws. If I was to enter those places without a visa and break the law I would expect to be treated like a crimnal and deported when my sentence was up.
That is a reality in the real world folks. Either respect the country you pick to live in or get tossed out.
You are a hypocrit to think you can sneak in here and steal jobs from hard working middle class folks that paid their dues with the hard work of their grandparents duging the depression where they shed blood to have the right to work for a descent wage fitting of a hard worker. You help nobody by forcing the rest of us to work for minimum wage and forcing us to live like ten to an apartment. My relatives have done this and I refuse to go backwards in time just because your home country is so screwed up. Now maybe we can deport you and you can go home and fix your real country.
Go get!

[randy]

They get deported AFTER they have served their time? If our prison system is in shambles, why not deport immediately once they are identified?

[Spewie McDermott]

You're really disrupting their schedules by deporting them. You know, it sometimes takes as long as three days to get back into the country,

[Sandra]

WOW what a concept? I wonder who thought of this? Must be some really really smart politican

[Sandra]

Hey you stupid fools - it's a HUGE savings to deport everyone of these low-lifes no matter their crimes - I can't believe these stupid political bastards - still trying to give these lawbreakers a break!

[JB]

To Cgopat:

You must be mentally ill because a sane person would not be saying what you are saying. Get some help. People like you are the ones who are truly bringing down our country.

[hottmomma]

that is why the state is in the financial situation it is in today. i can't believe someone finally got a light bulb above their head. stop using my tax dollars to feed, house and provide government relief to illegals!!

[Anthony]

Why is this just happening now? If they had started this process about ten years ago, we wouldn't have this overcrowding in our jails as most of the criminals in there are illegals. If you're in the country illegally and commit a crime, you should be deported right away no matter how small of an infraction you had committed.

[Robert NO longer in LA]

SO GLAD our elected idiots are squandering TRILLIONS in the Middle East, but have ZERO resources here at home, for all the proven ILLEGAL DRUG PUSHING, MURDERING RAPISTS. Doesn't our Govt inspire confidence and trust? YOU keep the idiots in Office!

[jojo]

"Anecdotal evidence from counties using Secure Communities shows that people are being deported based on minor crimes, she said."

hmmm....more minor than BREAKING U.S. IMMIGRATION LAWS??

We are not Mexico's welfare colony...
Chuck 'em ALL out.

[John]

Well said

[tucanofulano]

Hey, it's "only" been since 1986 since this ought to have been done....just think of the hundreds of major crimes and millions of "minor" crimes could have been avoided...and the Billion$ of taxpayer dollars that could have been saved to, say, fix potholes.

[Mr. Cynic]

Cgopat:

"Illegals"? You mean those who violate labor laws? Those who have done petty crimes? Those who have done big crimes? Those who have murdered? Raped? Who are CURRENTLY doing something illegal or who have done something illegal already? I'm confused with your empty rhetoric.

Now, if you're talking about UNDOCUMENTED immigrants (which I'm assuming you are) are you saying that they ALL urinate in the gutter and drink beer? Or just the ones in your neighborhood? And which neighborhood is that? How do you know which neighborhoods undocumented immigrants work and live in? And how do you know they are undocumented? Did you personally check their immigration status? Or do you simply ASSUME they're undocumented immigrants? If so, based on what criteria?

Also, how do you pay for them? They're not entitled to pretty much any federal or state services or programs so you surely can't mean through your federal or state taxes, right? Oh, you must be personally HANDING your money to undocumented immigrants right?

And you're willing to deport them all despite the article talking about the expenses... yet you're not willing to spend a dime on them right? How do you work around this? How do you deport them all without spending a cent? And those "law abiding people" who are waiting to come here, how do you know they're "law abiding"? How can you tell the difference between these "LEGALS" (using your terminology) versus the "illegals"? You must have some special talent that lets you see who has gone through the process of citizenship!

Please cgopat, get educated before opening your mouth (figuratively speaking of course) and embarrassing yourself. Sounds like you haven't really thought through your own beliefs, let alone these issues that are much bigger than you.

=)

[Chris F]

This is an outrageous violation of the civil liberties of these people.

They are only getting away with it becuase it's being done to Latinos.

You racists will regret this when President Obama finally does the right thing and grants citizenship to the hard working immigrants who made the USA what it is.

VIVA LA RAZA!

[Big Jim Slade]

If there is anyone in the County that doesn't think they could raise the money for carting these clowns back to old Mexico in five minutes they are fooling themselves. Put it on a ballot, ring a bell at the grocery store entrance, have a formal ball fundraiser, go door to door, or ask for Internet donations. I'm in for everyone of them!

IT'S ABOUT TIME OUR STATE GETS ITS ACT TOGETHER!

[Gilber]

ITS ABOUT TIME. GOOD FOR THE SUPERVISORS TO HAVE THE GUTS TO DO THIS. OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS SUPPORT ALL THE ILLEGALS THAT HAVE RUINED OUR CITY.

[Bill]

I will help drive them back to Mexico!

[Warren]

How much resources do they need to have them walk south 150 miles to Mexico? Just close a lane on I-5 and walk them from midnight to 6am to get home. Okay, maybe we can loan them a bicycle so them can make it in 6 hours.

[A Citizen]

Cgopat: AMEN

[syscom3]

What do they mean they dont have "resources"? If the inmate cant prove they are hear legally, then just dump them off at the border.

[Terrence Curran]

There is no reason to not impose the laws U.S.A. To call the interview process racial profiling is an attempt to circumvent the process with social pressure. The statement above by Joan Friedland of the National Immigration Law Center, was taken from a story about "traffic stops in North Carolina tageting Hispanic drivers." So the story is not fully accurate and the response from Ms. Fiedland is quoted out of context.

[It' about time....]

This is so past due that I can't even believe there has not been more of an outrage at this issue. ALL prisoners of are illegal should be sent back to WHEREVER they are from. "Cgopat" you are right, this is a no-brainer. The answer is obvious, if they are not legal, send them back!

[KK]

No wonder why the state is bankrupted. Are we the world's jail or resort to some? Illegal is not a crime and therefore released back into the community. Sounds like a solution. Might as well shut down border patrol and immigration.

[Mickey Malone]

YES...YES....YES....Evict them all...Thank you!

[american]

You mean they never have before???!
But if I want to get a job at say McDonalds, I have to go through intensive background check, but not these criminals... only in the dirty, brown state of California!

[RobertLaughing]

SO GLAD our elected idiots are squandering TRILLIONS in the Middle East, but have ZERO resources here at home, for all the proven ILLEGAL DRUG PUSHING, MURDERING RAPISTS. Doesn't our Govt inspire confidence and trust? YOU, keep the idiots in Office!

[Mike in SD]

Sorry to say, Cgopat -- but you would be wrong in thinking only liberals want open borders. I know quite a few conservatives that like the concept of a porous border, but for different reasons than liberals. Most their conservative rationale centers around free-economic principles. A greater supply of labor means lower wages they, as business owners, have to pay.

[Bob Booies]

Up until a few years ago illegal immigrants would return to Mexico to have their kids. That means most latino gang members, drunk drivers and wife beaters are illegal immigrants and are subject to deportation. Go ahead, make my day!

[DSL]

And this wasn't done years ago why? Oh right... crazy liberals and the ACLU turning blind eye to foreign convicts overrunning our streets and jails. Gotcha.

[kimela]

I am so glad to hear this. I disagree with Ms. Friedland. ICE should deport every illegal alien criminal. After all, all illegals are criminals. They have broken our Federal immigration laws. If I break the law, I would have to pay the consequences, and I am a native born true American.

[steve rodriguez]

What a novel idea!!!! I hope who ever thought of that didn't hurt themselves!!!

[Andrews]

The NILC talks as if they are part of theLa Raza / Open Borders Crowd.
Illegal Immigration is a minor crime?
Just a note:
Since Obama's talk of "Immigration Reform" there are a lot more
short Hispanic men wearing backpacks wandering the
streets in downtown Los Angeles.

[Kathleen]

It never ceases to amaze me how the politicians and the media continuously insult our intelligence. If CA has enough money to incarcerate these illegal aliens, and tax payers have already paid for law enforcement/judges to place these criminals in jail, then certainly there is enough money to put them on a bus and drive them over the border. Should one - just one - illegal alien be released and then cause harm to a U.S. citizen the state of CA should be sued for damages that would far exceed the cost of any bus ride.
This is nothing more than a way for corrupt and greedy politicians and the special interests who pay them off to set free yet more future voters to further destroy this country.

[steve]

Folks,what im beginning to wonder about is what nefarious plan is going on? Our Government, past & present, Republican & Democrat, have allowed the invasion of 20 to 40 million criminals and uneducated peons which is the largest invasion of any Nation, at any time, by any means & in direct violation of Article IV, Section IV of our Constitution.

This refusal to abide by our Constitution or enforce our Immigration Laws should be classified as Treason of the most foul kind, & as grounds for impeachment & trials for Treason!
Not only have they allowed the invasion, they force American tax payers to pay Billions on Billions of dollars to provide Welfare, Prison cells, Educate the invaders numerous children, and free medical care , at the same time the invading horde break numerous laws and massive document fraud, & are destroying ourschools, hospitals, communities, culture and standard of living while Robbing, Raping, Killing & Assaulting American Citizens! WAKE UP!

[Delaware Bob]

Pay attention here:

GET RID OF THE ILLEGAL ALIENS AND YOU GET RID OF ALL THE PROBLEMS THAT GO WITH THEM!

I repeat.

GET RID OF THE ILLEGAL ALIENS AND YOU GET RID OF ALL THE PROBLEMS THAT GO WITH THEM!

Got it, or do I have to repeat it again? Repeat it again? OK.

GET RID OF THE ILLEGAL ALIENS AND YOU GET RID OF ALL THE PROBLEMS THAT GO WITH THEM!