February 27, 2007

ICE begins immigration cross-training for Davidson County deputies
Sheriff’s office partnering with ICE to expedite removal of criminal aliens

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Sheriff's deputies from Davidson County began a rigorous four-week training course today to allow them to do limited immigration law enforcement as part of an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

As part of the curriculum, 10 sheriff's deputies from Davidson County will receive in-depth instruction on a variety of immigration enforcement topics, including immigration law, civil rights and intercultural relations.

The agreement, which has been finalized with the Davidson County Sheriff's Office, will allow the 10 trained deputies to interview foreign national inmates in the county's correctional facilities to determine whether there is probable cause for an immigration violation. Under the program, the deputies will complete the processing of any criminal aliens and prepare documentation to place those aliens in deportation proceedings.

“I'm happy that Davidson County has joined the 287(g) program. It represents an effective partnership between ICE and state and county law enforcement agencies,” said Michael A. Holt, special agent in charge of ICE's Office of Investigations in New Orleans. “The goal of the partnership is to seek out those who both break our nation's immigration laws and the laws of Tennessee by engaging in criminal activity.”

The Davidson County Sheriff's Office joins 10 other law enforcement agencies nationwide that are currently participating in the 287(g) program. The program permits ICE to cross-designate officers from participating agencies to perform limited immigration enforcement functions once the officers receive the required training.

"Bringing the 287(g) program to Davidson County is a great success for us. We are looking forward to this relationship and, even more importantly, we are looking forward to the positive impact this program will have on public safety in the Nashville community," said Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall.

To date, ICE has trained 214 officers nationwide under the 287(g) program. More than 40 municipal, county, and state agencies nationwide have applied for 287(g) agreements with ICE. In fiscal year 2006, the program is credited with 6,043 arrests. So far this fiscal year, the 287(g) program has resulted in 3,327 arrests.

-- ICE --

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.

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