Last week the Department of Homeland Security announced policy changes to the 287(g) program that addresses the concerns that many people have with the 287(g) program, namely that it could be used as a means to target non-criminal individuals as a means to initiate immigration removal proceedings. These changes reflect the intent of the policy which was to remove serious criminals.
Hopefully, the changes will also mandate a better accounting of how many people are actually deported. Currently there is no mechanism to determine those numbers which makes the assertions by the Chairman that the County has ‘deported’ 1500 individuals absurd. Rather, 1500 individuals have been reprimanded to ICE, transferred to Fairfax County, processed and then the majority of them have been released and are back home by dinnertime.
More information can be found here –
ICE Fact Sheet
DHS Press Release, July 10, 2009
Policy or Politics? DHS Changes and Expands 287(g) Program
