Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved an agreement Tuesday to extend an ICE program that focuses on identifying convicted criminals who are in the country illegally.
The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, program involves trained custody assistants identifying these criminals prior to their release from county jail.
Qualified offenders are then assessed for deportation and/or federal prosecution proceedings by ICE, according to a news release.
“This program enhances public safety by flagging convicted criminals who have broken federal immigration laws by entering the country illegally for appropriate action by the federal government,” said Supervisor Michael Antonovich, who voted in favor of the agreement. “This program is effective because it focuses on convicted criminals who pose an immediate threat to our communities upon release from county jail.”
What is an ICE program?
Since its implementation in 2005, the program has included those convicted of murder, sex crimes against children and spousal assault, he said.
In July, Los Angeles Police Department officials announced they would no longer honor requests from federal immigration officials to detain undocumented immigrants for possible deportation without either a court order or arrest warrant, NBC News reported.
Officials cited constitutional concerns raised by recent court decisions, including a federal judge in Oregon who found that local authorities violated the 4th Amendment rights of an undocumented immigrant held for two weeks on an ICE hold despite being eligible for release.
The judge specifically found that such detainers lack the necessary legal underpinnings, such as probable cause or judicial determination, required to hold a suspect for a longer period, according to NBC News.
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved the extension of the program 3-0 with two abstentions, said Tony Bell, a spokesman for Antonovich’s office.
“It’s a no-brainer,” he said. “It’s a public safety tool. It’s effective and it roots out criminals that ought to be in federal custody and investigated for deportation.”
As a result of Tuesday’s vote, the program has been extended until June 30, 2016, when it is set to be reviewed again by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and ICE officials, according to a board agenda.