Local agencies cautious about ICE training
By Alexandra Bogdanovic
Fauquier County deputies check immigration status whenever someone is arrested on felony or misdemeanor charges. When necessary, deputies notify U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and the appropriate consulate about the arrest.On the other hand, Warrenton Police Chief Connie Novak said her officers do not check immigration status when they make misdemeanor felony arrests.
Lt. Col. Dave Flohr said this week that the Sheriff's Office plans to have deputies trained in the 287(g) program eventually; there currently are no plans to send Warrenton police officers through the federal training.
The list of area law enforcement agencies participating in a partnership program with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is growing.
Within the last six months, police officers and deputies from the Manassas Police Department, Manassas Park Police Department, Prince William County Police Department and Prince William County Sheriff's Office have been trained in the 287(g) program.
The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office announced that it formalized its 287 (g) agreement with ICE on June 17, and will now send three members of its gang intelligence unit to South Carolina for one month of training.
Once they are certified through the program, police officers and deputies can initiate deportation proceedings against suspects found to be here illegally.
A closer look
The 287(g) program provides in-depth training on immigration law, intercultural relations and on using Department of Homeland Security databases to "help positively identify criminals and immigration violators."
More than 600 officers have been trained through the program since its inception.
See the Fauquier Times-Democrat for the complete story...