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28 inmates deported under new partnership

Immigration officials deported 28 foreign-born Clark County jail inmates during the first month of a new partnership with the Metropolitan Police Department.

The partnership, which officially began Nov. 15, allows specially trained corrections officers at the Clark County Detention Center to identify immigration violators and start deportation proceedings against them.


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  • Through mid-December, 882 people booked into the jail were identified as foreign-born and screened for their immigration status. Of those, 114 were identified as being in the United States illegally. Their names were forwarded to the U.S. Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Twenty-eight either have been removed from the United States or are in holding stations awaiting removal, police said.

    "Preliminary numbers show it (the partnership) is in compliance with what we wanted it to be: one additional tool to target the criminal element," police spokesman Jacinto Rivera said.

    But some said the figures released last week by Las Vegas police raise red flags.

    "That boils down to roughly one person per day being deported," said Judy Cox, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada. "They've created a deportation machine. It's going to create a huge rift in the community."

    Hispanic and civil rights groups have criticized the agreement, saying it targets Hispanics and could lead to racial profiling and make people afraid to report crimes.

    Police have emphasized that the program is meant to reduce the number of violent criminals in the community and will not extend beyond the walls of the detention center.

    But they and immigration officials have acknowledged that any illegal immigrants booked into the jail, regardless of the severity of charges against them and whether they're found innocent of those charges, could be subject to deportation.

    "This isn't just about getting violent criminals off the street," Cox said. "Anybody who comes in contact with the police, and is unfortunate enough to be arrested and charged with anything from a DUI to a felony, can be deported."

    Rivera said 75 of the 114 inmates identified as being in the country illegally had been charged with felonies from murder to drug trafficking. The others faced misdemeanor charges, the majority related to domestic violence or driving under the influence.

    Information about charges against the 28 deportees was unavailable, as was information about the outcome of their criminal cases.

    Inmates who are found to be undocumented are turned over to immigration officials only after their charges have been settled in court. Those who could end up being deported include formerly legal residents who lost their legal status after being convicted of crimes.

    News of the 287(g) agreement, named for the corresponding section of the federal Immigration and Nationality Act, has inspired fear in immigrant communities, said Xavier Rivas, host of a Spanish-language call-in radio talk show on KRLV-AM, 1340.

    "Callers are really worried," Rivas said. "They're afraid Metro is going to act as immigration officers. They are scared."

    Ten corrections officers underwent several weeks of training with ICE officials as part of the agreement, which is the first of its kind in Nevada. The officers have access to a federal database of known immigration violators that tells them whether an inmate has been deported before or whether the citizenship status of that inmate is in question.

    Jail officials are authorized to put immigration detainers on inmates determined to be legally deportable, allowing ICE to step in upon resolution of criminal cases.

    Police have said 19 percent to 22 percent of the county jail's estimated 3,300 inmates are foreign-born. About 160 suspects are processed on a busy day.

    The Metropolitan Police Department applied for the partnership in 2007. ICE officials have said enforcement efforts are more effective in areas with such agreements.

    Nationally, 63 local and state police groups have immigration partnerships.

    Increasing state and local partnerships are the cornerstone of ICE's Secure Communities plan, which aims to target foreign-born criminals in jails nationwide.

    Contact reporter Lynnette Curtis at lcurtis@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0285.

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    MGH wrote on January 07, 2009 06:29 AM: This is a show of a Government similar to communists. This is Government that is continuing to instigate violence wether it be about oil or immigration. Simply looking at how process it takes to deport an alien is absurbed and 100% Unconstitutional. How can you be an American if you to not abide by what our forefathers wrote. "Equal Justice for All" No such thing. I hope this gives you some insight on how we shall be treated if ever we want to visit another Country. Because I who I am..I am to scared to go to another Country for a visit. What a Damm Shame huh.

    Barack Obama...The issue with all this immigration nonsence needs to be reexamined. We keep calling these people criminals, and all I see this is the instigating or starting of a world wide hate group who will seek revenge.

    Since 9/11 this country has deported 1000s of immigrants based upon Where the immigrants were born. Any person with common sense can see the Government acted illegally upon the process taken to deport these aliens? I have read some very frightning things that have gone on with our immigration authorities, and how immigrants rights are intentionally violated without legal cause. I dont think the current ways we inforce our immigration Laws is the answer to any problem. It certainly will created future problems thats for sure if we do not look at these fairly and realistictly.


    carlos mackey wrote on January 06, 2009 12:45 PM: If you are living in fear,GO HOME!.


    Joe C wrote on January 05, 2009 04:26 PM: What irony by Hispanic and civil rights groups or I should say hypocrisy.
    Thousands of Hispanic’s/Latino march in many city streets all waving Mexican flags chanting in Spanish viva Mexico, demanding rights for being criminals.
    Then have the nerve to call those opposing illegal aliens racist when the obvious is the vastly huge majority of illegal aliens are Mexican and Hispanic, proof by their own actions.
    Yet we should not wonder if a Spanish speaking person is illegal.
    What a load of BS to cover up one group’s complete disrespect of our laws and citizens for their own selfish agendas.

    As far as the tear-jerking propaganda that they are coming here so they can feed their families and only want work.
    This too is not the fault of the U.S. or citizens whose jobs are lost, displaced by cheap illegal labor. Our families need to be feed too.

    Also Mexico is a wealth country and if the illegal criminals were forced to stay in their own country they could use that energy expended here to justify being criminals and force change in the country they love. Not splitting their families.
    All a criminal con to benefit one group of liars.


    Two Cents wrote on January 05, 2009 02:38 PM: I have to go now but before I leave I will leave a website that some may find interesting (or controversial.)
    WeHireAliens.com keeps tabs on illegal and patriot employers in case anyone wants to boycot. Interesting stuff. Maybe not entirely accurate but at least they try. Good Day.


    steve wrote on January 05, 2009 02:27 PM: Mama Bear,

    That is only half of the problem. Our borders need to be closed off completely and our immigration rules enforced. E-verify MUST be forced on employers as well and there should not be endless delays in the Social Security departments "mismatch" letters to employers. All the employer does (and I have seen this) is tell the employee that the SSN doesn't match, the employee gets another number, and then it starts all over again thereby allowing the illegal to remain employed for 8 months or more in the interim.


    Two Cents wrote on January 05, 2009 02:16 PM: Sorry, I was responding to Mama Bear. I'm doing other things today and got distracted.


    Two Cents wrote on January 05, 2009 02:10 PM: Two assemblymen sponsored immigration bills last year that were shot down. Please see:
    http://www.lvrj.com/news/24445009.html
    Bob Beers was one and he got voted out last election. He is not in my district. People vote because they think other problems are more important than illegal immigrants but then they complain about not finding jobs when how many illegals have jobs they should have. What about the DMV finding that woman: http://www.rgj.com/article/20081220/NEWS/812200333/1321/NEWS
    She stole someones id and stole a job from an American. People do not want to open their eyes. There are many more out there. You were right in your earlier post. Clean out the hotels and how many jobs would be open?


    Mama Bear wrote on January 05, 2009 01:45 PM: You people don't think, and the solution is s-i-m-p-l-e.

    1) If you end the food supply, they will go elsewhere.
    2) The food supply (disposable income) comes from jobs at the resorts, casinos and companies who break the law by hiring illegals
    3) Other sources of food supply money comes from illegal activities: drug trafficking, prostitution, stealing, etc. (Did you ever ask why Nevada has one of the highest car theft rates in the nation?)

    Eliminate the companies that are hiring illegals, or make executives/owners pay huge fines and do time.

    QUIT SUPPORTING THE PROBLEM, AND THEN THE PROBLEM WILL GO ELSEWHERE!!


    really wrote on January 05, 2009 01:17 PM: This is for SEE....Wow we really have hundreds of thousands rotting in jal cells in Nevada....We have that many prisons.....Get your head out.....


    See wrote on January 05, 2009 01:13 PM: What about the hundred's of thousands rotting away in the Nevada prison system?

    This is just plain abuse and barberism by Clark County, its police and judges.

    Nevada is one screwed up State.


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