News & Columns > Michael P. Neufeld > Jail Immigrant Identification Program Extended

Jail Immigrant Identification Program Extended

Supervisors Tack on Three Years to ICE Screening Program

By Michael P. Neufeld
Friday, November 6, 2009

San Bernardino, CA - The County of San Bernardino will continue to partner with the federal immigration authorities to identify illegal immigrants booked into County jails on criminal charges, so they can be deported to their home countries after serving their sentences.

San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department Headquarters (Photo by Michael P. Neufeld.)

Supervisors have now approved a three-year agreement with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to continue the screening program, which was implemented in 2005 after a request by Second District Supervisor Paul Biane.

Biane asked the Sheriff's Department to develop a criminal illegal alien screening program after receiving reports that about 15% of criminals booked into County jails were in the country illegally, and that their incarceration was costing the Sheriff's Department about $12 million annually.

In addition, the Sheriff's Department reported that many illegal immigrants arrested and later released on bail or on their own recognizance did not appear in court to answer the charges against them.

Central Detention Center (Photo by Michael P. Neufeld.)

Under the program, Sheriff's custody specialists trained by ICE screen inmates booked into County jails to determine their immigration status. The Sheriff's Department places a hold on inmates identified as illegal aliens so they cannot be released from jail.

Once the inmates' cases are resolved, they must serve their jail or prison sentence. Afterward, the inmates are turned over to ICE for deportation. Deported inmates face time in federal prison if they are caught in the country illegally again.

"This program allows the Sheriff's Department to identify illegal immigrants when they are booked into a County jail for a crime so they don't end up back on our streets," Biane emphasized. "It does not authorize deputies to randomly target or arrest undocumented immigrants, and it should not deter anyone from reporting a crime or providing witness information to the authorities."

So far this year, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department has placed immigration holds on 2,742 inmates. In 2008, the Sheriff's Department identified 2,359 illegal aliens booked into County jails.

Besides ensuring that criminal illegal aliens are identified and held at County jails, the screening program also helps the Sheriff's Department track the number of illegal immigrants booked into its jails so the County can seek reimbursement from the federal government through the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP).

The Sheriff's Department received $2.2 million from SCAAP for the previous fiscal year. The actual cost of detaining illegal immigrant inmates, however, was $15.8 million.

This article was first published on Wednesday, November 4, 2009 at 9:14 am. This article has been viewed 408 times.

Michael P. Neufeld, Senior News Editor, is a graduate of the Dwight Bentel School of Journalism at San Jose State University. His first job out of San Jose State was with the Associated Press in Los Angeles as overnight Radio Editor. Prior to joining RIMOFTHEWORLD.net, Neufeld was editor of two weekly newspapers—THE MOUNTAIN NEWS and CRESTLINE COURIER-NEWS. He also has experience as editor of an employee newspaper for a major utility company and during his tenure as executive director of the San Jose State University Alumni Association served as faculty advisor to the association's monthly newsletter. He also spent eight years in commercial radio doing everything from news to advertising sales and writing commercials to being an announcer and on-air personality. Neufeld is actively involved the mountain communities including serving as master of ceremonies for the Arrowhead Arts Music Festival held each summer.

The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of RIMOFTHEWORLD.net. This column is copyrighted by Michael P. Neufeld.