By Karen Hastings, Houston Chronicle

Katy police announced deportation proceedings against a convicted child sex offender on Wednesday, crediting new coordination with federal immigration officials plus a little congressional arm-twisting.

Seeking to dispel the city’s image as a “sanctuary city,” Katy officials said they now get quicker response to their problems with criminal illegal immigrants from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Police Chief R.L. Frazier cited meetings in April arranged by U.S. Rep. Michael T. McCaul, R-Austin, who joined him in a news conference at the police department.

“It’s changed so much since April as far as us having a number to call and people to talk to,” Frazier said. “It’s gotten rid of a problem we’ve had for several years.”

Frazier said deportation proceedings are under way for a Katy resident who was convicted as a juvenile on a child sexual offense charge and has been arrested “numerous times” since then for unrelated misdemeanor offenses.

“He was just a daily nuisance. I had people calling on him daily,” Frazier said. “We had a major problem there.”

Katy Mayor Don Elder called the change in coordination with federal officials simple but “very beneficial.”

Civil rights groups successfully sued the city of Katy in the 1990s, after law enforcement officials conducted raids to search for illegal immigrants. As a result, the city for many years has stayed out of immigration enforcement and was identified by some groups as a “sanctuary” for undocumented immigrants.

“We are not a sanctuary city,” Frazier said.

ICE officials did not attend Wednesday’s news conference. Spokesman Gregory Palmore later said the agency prides itself on assisting local police, but leaves primary responsibility for law enforcement with local departments.

“We have to prioritize our resources daily. We would love to be the be-all-and-end-all for everybody, but law enforcement takes a cooperative effort. We are not the local beat cops; we provide specialized resources.”

McCaul acknowledged the federal immigration agency’s “limited resources.”

“They’re very focused on the city of Houston, and therefore they don’t have as much time for cities like Katy,” McCaul said. “I brought ICE to the table and said I need a name and a number to contact, and now every time they call the number they get a response.”

McCaul said he is brokering similar meetings in other parts of his district.

The Mexican national facing deportation was well-known to Katy law enforcement and had multiple arrests for exposure and loitering around city parks, Frazier said. Although he was known to be in the country illegally, police had no authority to initiate deportation proceedings, the chief added.

But under the new compact with ICE, Katy police were able to contact federal authorities. ICE filed a detainer permitting local police to hold the man for up to 48 hours, until agents were able to take custody.

Katy police would not release the name of the man, who is now in his 30s, because he was originally convicted as a juvenile.

McCaul said illegal immigrants committing crimes is a “growing problem.”

“Today we are sending a message loud and clear that Katy is no longer a sanctuary city for criminal aliens. If you are here illegally and you commit a crime you will be prosecuted and deported,” he said.

Frazier agreed.

“(ICE) came out and picked him up, and he’s not a problem anymore.”