Los Angeles County to Extend 287(g) Program
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to extend its 287(g) agreement with the federal government despite protests from pro-illegal alien supporters. The 287(g) program trains local law enforcement officials to help identify criminal illegal aliens and turn them over to federal immigration agents.
Questions of the program's future in Los Angeles arose when the federal government told the county it wanted officers from the sheriff's department to question arrested suspects on their immigration status. The department said it would only question convicted criminals because they didn't want to risk deporting suspects who were not convicted. The two sides worked out the differences leading to the extension of the program.
The new agreement will last for three years, and the sheriff's office will stay in constant contact with federal immigration agents to ensure that inmates are not deported before being convicted of their crimes.
For more information, see the Los Angeles Times.