Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The Rhode Island Department of Corrections is one of 11 law enforcement agencies around the country that have reached new agreements enabling them to work more closely with federal authorities to enforce immigration laws.

The correction department's so-called 287(g) agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is a result of Governor Carcieri's 2007 executive order cracking down on illegal immigration in Rhode Island. The order directed the corrections department and the state police to seek the agreement.

The application had been pending since last year. A similar application by the State Police is still pending.

The agreement could speed deportation of criminals and suspects who are illegal immigrants.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced the 11 new agreements Friday, as part of a broader announcement that ICE has standardized the Memorandum of Agreement used to enter into the partnerships.

The new agreement "supports local efforts to protect public safety by giving law enforcement the tools to identify and remove dangerous criminal aliens," Napolitano said. "It also promotes consistency across the board to ensure that all of our state and local law-enforcement partners are using the same standards in implementing the 287(g) program."

Governor Carcieri's spokeswoman, Amy Kempe, said, "Between yesterday's [Thursday's] announcement out of Homeland Security on E-verify and today's announcement they are moving forward with 287(g), the governor is very pleased and commends the Obama adminstration for taking the lead and responsibility for enforcing the law."

Kempe referred to the Obama administration mandate requiring federal contractors to use the E-verify database to confirm the immigration status of new hires.

Said Kempe, "It underscores what the governor has said first with his executive order... that government has to be responsible for following the law and enforcing the law."

 Tags  287(g) Carcieri immigration Janet Napolitano Providence ri

Comments

Hickok said:

How does Theresa Paiva WeedWhacker reconcile this? Her Messiah said E-verify works and should be implemented poste haste. And Dean Martin Esserman? He'll find a way to weasel out of enforcing existing laws, I'm certain. And poor Miss Ziner. All the hard work you've done to portray these folks as "unfortunates" could be going down the drain. Boohoo, a sad day for caring liberals, indeed.

Link | July 10, 2009 4:05 PM
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Inspiring... said:

I am confident that these COs will be fully trained in interpreting the complexities of immigration laws and ensuring that no innocent person is ensnared in this well intentioned effort to protect America. Just consider how well things went when ICE delegated its authority at Wyatt!

Link | July 10, 2009 10:37 PM
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