L.A. County Inmates to Have Immigration Status Checked As Part of New Program

All inmates booked into jails throughout Los Angeles County will have their immigration status checked beginning today, but federal officials said they don’t have the resources to deport all illegal immigrants with criminal records who are identified.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement will prioritize illegal immigrants with prior convictions for violent crimes, including murder, rape, kidnapping and robbery. Though immigration officials plan to assess every case individually, they said some with less serious criminal records may be released back into the community.

“The reality of the situation is that we don’t presently have the resources to respond to every single person,” agency head John Morton said during a recent visit to Los Angeles. “We are focusing on the worst of the worst.”

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The Secure Communities program began last fall and is now in nearly 80 counties, including Ventura and San Diego. The government plans to have it up and running in all jails and prisons by the end of 2013. The program is part of the administration’s focus on targeting illegal immigrants who have criminal records.

Nationwide, about 12% of all inmates checked were here illegally and had prior criminal convictions. Of those, about 6,700 had been convicted of violent crimes. Another roughly 60,000 had other criminal convictions.

In Los Angeles County, more than 40 law enforcement agencies will run inmates’ fingerprints through federal databases during the booking process to see if the inmates have had any contact with the immigration system.

Immigration officials will then determine the inmates’ immigration status, check the criminal record and place holds on those with a prior conviction of a serious crime.

Once those inmates finish serving their time, they will be transferred to immigration custody for possible deportation.

If inmates have been previously deported or have outstanding orders, they also will be subject to removal, said Trey Lund, field office director of detention and removal operations for ICE in Los Angeles.

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Immigration officials said that the new screening process avoids concerns about racial profiling because every inmates’ fingerprints are checked.

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