news-record.com

GREENSBORO - Illegal immigrants arrested on criminal charges in Guilford County could be deported when the sheriff's office begins a version of the 287(g) immigration program in the spring, Sheriff BJ Barnes said.

The program, which is a cooperative partnership with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is designed to allow a local law enforcement officer to check a suspect's citizenship and detain them for deportation.

"That officer will have the authority of an ICE agent and access to their database, which was what we were looking for," said Barnes, who first applied for the 287(g) program in April 2007. A federal grant would pay for the program in Guilford.

Full-blown versions of the controversial 287(g) program, which are operating in Alamance, Wake, Mecklenburg and Gaston counties, allows those counties to hold illegal immigrants until they are handed over to ICE officials.

Barnes said Guilford County will have a "hybrid" 287(g) program, not a full-blown program that keeps illegals in jail for an extended period.

"It's an offshoot to where we have access to 287 information," Barnes said. "So say, if we arrest someone for breaking into a house, we can see if they are here legally or illegally."

Under the program to begin in April, Barnes said suspects found to be illegal immigrants would not be released on bond but would be held locally until their criminal charge is resolved in court.

Once that happens, the suspects would then be handed over to ICE officials for the deportation process.

The 287(g) program has created controversy in the state, especially in Alamance County, where residents have accused authorities of overstepping their immigration authority and arresting illegal immigrants who are innocent or commit minor crimes. Alamance County officials have denied the charge.

"These laws have created enough fear in the community to where they don't feel free to move from one site to another,'' said Javier García Méndez, director of the Immigration Assistance Center at Faith Action Greensboro. "They feel as if they cannot go to the emergency room or pick their kids up from school. I hope that if it's going to be applied in Guilford County, it will be overseen by a committee."

Barnes said his deputies will not be on a manhunt looking for illegal immigrants; they would have to be arrested on another criminal charge to face federal immigration charges.

"They have to violate some other law. We are not going to be searching neighborhoods for folks not here legally," Barnes said.

Reaction from Guilford County commissioners was mixed Wednesday. Board Chairman Melvin "Skip" Alston said the timing for the program was bad because it creates possible strains on the jail.

"Anything that could add more burden to the jail is irresponsible, and I would ask the sheriff to reconsider," Alston said, noting this was the first he heard of the sheriff's plan.

"We can't go off after every grant and try to address all of the world's problems when we aren't in a position to take care of our own problems right now," Alston said.
Commissioner Billy Yow said he supports any move that could reduce crime in Guilford County.

"I would rather have (illegals) in jail than kicking in people's doors or robbing stores," Yow said.

"This is going to be set up to better identify people who are out there committing crimes,'' he said. "I applaud the sheriff in implementing the program and working to make a difference."

Training for the program will be conducted by ICE officials and will begin in March and last one month.

Barnes said his office will receive two computers with access to federal immigration databases. He also will have two to four bilingual deputies trained to handle immigration enforcement.

Contact Ryan Seals at 373-7077 or ryan.seals@news-record.com