By Brenda Lopez Romero
Impunity Watch reporter – North America desk
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Local and national civil rights advocacy organizations have criticized the ill-enforced 287(g) agreements between local law enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). However, last Friday, the Inspector General of Department of Homeland Security released a report that confirms many of the accusation against the 287(g) programs. 287(g) agreements deputize local and state police to enforce federal immigration laws. Currently, there are 60 counties and state law enforcement agency with signed and authorized agreements which allow the law enforcement officers to determine immigration status and detain persons for deportation proceedings.
The report concluded that the local law enforcement is ill screened, trained, and supervised. Further, it found that the immigrants’ civil rights are being denied in some cases. The report qualified the oversight of the program as haphazardous and significantly inconsistence. Further, it indicated “in the absence of consistent supervision over immigration enforcement activities … there is no assurance that the program is achieving its goals.” ICE states that the program’s priority is targeting serious criminal “aliens.” However, the report found no process to determine whether immigrants held for deportation had violated serious criminal offenses, beyond minor traffic violations. The report admonished that ICE cannot be assured “that resources are being appropriately targeted … [to those] who pose the greatest risk to public safety and community.”
ICE acknowledged the widespread criticism and was aware of the report’s finding for over a year ago, but the agency claims it is addressing the issues. Richard Rocha, the agency’s spokesperson, said, “since the audit was conducted, ICE has fundamentally reformed the program … strengthening public safety and ensuring consistency in immigration enforcement across the country by prioritizing the arrest and detention of criminal aliens, fulfilling many of the report’s recommendations.” The report recognized the agency’s changes, however, it determined the most serious concerns continue unresolved.
The report found local law enforcement was not thoroughly examined, there were inadequate background checks, given “inappropriate or unauthorized access” to intelligence, and most alarming was the perfunctory training on the basic tenets of immigration law, including asylum. The reported stated “one officer commented that after basic training, he came away with zero knowledge of how to process a case.”
Finally the report also concluded that civil rights of immigrants were “not formally included” in the basic training nor considered in the officers performance reviews. Now, the civil rights advocacy organizations demand the termination of all 287(g) agreements.
For more information, please see:
AlterNet – Immigration Revelations Just The Tip Of The ICEberg – April 3, 2010
Democracy Now – DHS Report Criticizes 287(g) Immigration Program – April 5, 2010
New York Times – Report Faults Training of Local Officers in Immigration Enforcement Program – April 2, 2010
