Latest news with #IllegalImmigrationReformandImmigrantResponsibilityActof1996
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Tennessee Republican lawmakers urge local police to work with ICE, help with deportations
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Some Tennessee Republicans are urging every local and state law enforcement agency to enter into a 287(g) agreement with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to help the federal government in its effort to deport illegal immigrants. A 287(g) agreement gives local law enforcement officers certain federal powers that allow them to detain and investigate undocumented immigrants. 'The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 added Section 287(g) to the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) — authorizing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to delegate to state and local law enforcement officers the authority to perform specified immigration officer functions under the agency's direction and oversight,' ICE's website reads. Rep. Lee Reeves (R-Franklin) called upon all agencies in Tennessee to enter into the agreement Monday. 'We need more than strong words. We need local action as well, so to every police chief, every sheriff, every mayor, every county commissioner, now is the time to enter into a 287(g) agreement with ICE. It's a simple partnership that lets local law officers identify and detain criminal illegal aliens. It's legal, it works, and it will save lives.' According to ICE, eight Tennessee agencies currently have a 287(g) agreement. The majority of the agencies are sheriff's offices, in addition to the TN Dept. of Homeland Security and THP. Three additional state agencies currently have pending 287(g) applications, according to ICE. During a special legislative session in January, lawmakers passed a bill incentivizing departments to participate in the program by offering grants to those who take part. 'This legislation further appropriated $20 million to facilitate participation in the 287g program to make our brave men and women even more effective in that partnership,' Senate Majority Leader, Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) said. Congressman Andy Ogles confirms federal investigation into Nashville mayor's office over illegal immigration A bill that would have required all law enforcement agencies to take part in the program failed during the regular legislative session. Some immigrant rights groups worry that the more departments work with ICE, the more harm it could cause. 'What we have seen time and time again with programs like the 287(g) program is the erroding of trust between our immigrant communities and local law enforcement, the siphoning away of local taxpayer dollars for civil rights lawsuits, racial profiling, and we have seen this not only here in the past in Nashville, but across the state of Tennessee,' Luis Mata with the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition said. Davidson County ended its 287(g) agreement with ICE in 2012 following controversy and a lawsuit over the handling of a pregnant woman who gave birth while shackled in county custody. It's unclear if the agency plans to enter into a new contract with ICE. However, Republican lawmakers told reporters the 287(g) agreement saves lives. ⏩ 'This isn't about politics, it's about protecting our families,' Rep. Reeves said. 'It's not about immigration, it's about crime. It's not a border crisis, it is a community crisis.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Cambria County approves agreement with ICE on detained illegal immigrants at prison
NORTHERN CAMBRIA, Pa. – The Cambria County commissioners Thursday approved a new agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for removal of detained illegal aliens in the Cambria County Prison. This is part of the Warrant Service Officer program under Section 287(g) of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 that allows ICE agents to partner with state and local law enforcement to identify and remove criminal aliens from the country. Cambria County Solicitor Ronald Repak said people arrested and detained at the prison who are flagged as illegally in the country by the Department of Homeland Security during processing would be held without bail due to their immigration status. Federal agents would then arrive at the prison within 48 hours to collect the detained person for potential deportation proceedings. 'That's consistent with what the prison has been doing,' Repak said. 'They're not taking over as an ICE agent – they're simply filling the papers out (and) making sure they're served appropriately. But it's all under the supervision of ICE.' This agreement is one of three the county could have adopted. The others are the Jail Enforcement Model and Task Force Model, which provide more immigration authority to local and state law enforcement. Repak said the agreement is voluntary and 'working closely with ICE is something the commissioners are interested in doing.' ICE and President Donald Trump's administration in recent months have increased deportation efforts that in some cases have led to the detention of some college students, arrests of legal permanent immigrants and dramatic scenes as agents carry out their duties. Trump has also invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to target alleged Venezuelan gang members and send them to a prison in El Salvador, which has brought up questions of due process from rights groups. U.S. judges in New York and Texas barred those deportations for now Wednesday. Cambria County Prison Warden Kurt Wolford said the arrangement won't have an impact on jail operations and described the action as a continuation of cooperation with the federal agencies. 'We've always had a good working relation not only with the Department of Homeland Security, but really any law enforcement agency,' he said. Wolford said he recognized that immigration is a 'hot-button issue,' but said the agreement simply allows Cambria County Prison officials to assist the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, ICE's parent agency. According to the ICE website, the Warrant Service Officer program empowers ICE officials to 'train, certify and authorize state and local law enforcement officers to serve and execute administrative warrants on aliens in their agency's jail.'
Saudi Gazette
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Trump signs order aimed at overhauling US elections
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that aims to overhaul US federal elections, including by requiring voters to show proof of citizenship and limiting when states can receive mail-in ballots. Experts warn the move could disenfranchise millions of Americans who do not have easy access to a passport or other legal documents proving they have the right to vote. It is unclear how enforceable the order is, given US states have wide legal leeway to determine how they run their elections. It is expected to be challenged in court. The order, titled "Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections", was signed by Trump on Tuesday at the White House. "Election fraud. You've heard the term. We're going to end it, hopefully. At least this will go a long way toward ending it," Trump said as he signed the order on Tuesday. The order says that the US has failed "to enforce basic and necessary election protections" and calls on states to cooperate with the the White House or risk losing access to federal funding if they do not require proof of citizenship. It is already illegal for non-citizens to vote in elections. The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 prohibits non-citizens from voting in federal elections. Every state is required to use a common registration form that requires people to confirm they are US citizens, under penalty of perjury for false claims, but does not require documentary proof. Experts say there have been very few cases of immigrants voting illegally in US elections. The order also seeks to bar states from accepting postal ballots received after election day. Currently, 18 states allow ballots to be received after election day as long as they were mailed on or before the day of the vote. The order would withdraw federal funding for US states that do not comply. Trump has been accused of spreading election misinformation, including by claiming that "millions" of illegal immigrants voted in his first election campaign. He also continues to deny that he lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden. Previous efforts to pass a voter ID law in Congress have failed. Democrats who have criticized similar past reform attempts have pointed to statistics showing that a large number of Americans do not have an enhanced drivers license or passport for ID. The legal basis for the order is expected to be challenged in court. "The president cannot override a statute passed by Congress that says what is required to register to vote on the federal voter registration form," Wendy Weiser, from the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University, told the Washington Post. UCLA law professor Rick Hasen said on his blog that elections are largely run by each individual state government, and that if allowed to stand, the order would radically shift power to the federal government. — BBC
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump signs order aimed at overhauling US elections
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that aims to overhaul US federal elections, including by requiring voters to show proof of citizenship and limiting when states can receive mail-in ballots. Experts warn the move could disenfranchise millions of Americans who do not have easy access to a passport or other legal documents proving they have the right to vote. It is unclear how enforceable the order is, given US states have wide legal leeway to determine how they run their elections. It is expected to be challenged in court. The order, titled "Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections", was signed by Trump on Tuesday at the White House. "Election fraud. You've heard the term. We're going to end it, hopefully. At least this will go a long way toward ending it," Trump said as he signed the order on Tuesday. The order says that the US has failed "to enforce basic and necessary election protections" and calls on states to co-operate with the the White House or risk losing access to federal funding if they do not require proof of citizenship. It is already illegal for non-citizens to vote in elections. The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 prohibits non-citizens from voting in federal elections. Every state is required to use a common registration form that requires people to confirm they are US citizens, under penalty of perjury for false claims, but does not require documentary proof. Experts say there have been very few cases of immigrants voting illegally in US elections. The order also seeks to bar states from accepting postal ballots received after election day. Currently, 18 states allow ballots to be received after election day as long as they were mailed on or before the day of the vote. The order would withdraw federal funding for US states that do not comply. Trump has been accused of spreading election misinformation, including by claiming that "millions" of illegal immigrants voted in his first election campaign. He also continues to deny that he lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden. Previous efforts to pass a voter ID law in Congress have failed. Democrats who have criticised similar past reform attempts have pointed to statistics showing that a large number of Americans do not have an enhanced drivers licence or passport for ID. The legal basis for the order is expected to be challenged in court. "The president cannot override a statute passed by Congress that says what is required to register to vote on the federal voter registration form," Wendy Weiser, from the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University, told the Washington Post. UCLA law professor Rick Hasen said on his blog that elections are largely run by each individual state government, and that if allowed to stand, the order would radically shift power to the federal government. Can illegal immigrants really vote in the US election?
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Police in Long Island county will team up with ICE for Trump's immigration crackdown
A county in New York City's Long Island suburbs will be teaming up with federal authorities in President Donald Trump's crackdown on immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican and Trump ally, announced Tuesday that 10 county police detectives will be given the same authority as federal immigration agents and work with them to detain immigrants who are in the country illegally after they are charged with other crimes. While dozens of other police departments around the U.S. have similar arrangements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the move makes the county of nearly 1.4 million residents an outlier in New York, where state law limits when police agencies can cooperate with federal immigration officials. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Blakeman said police will check the immigration status of people charged with crimes and notify ICE if they are there illegally. The arrangement also includes embedding officers with ICE and providing jail cells for short-term detainment until arrestees can be handed over to federal authorities. 'I want to stress that this program is about illegal migrants who have committed crimes," said Blakeman. "This isn't about raids. This is targeted enforcement of our laws based here in the state of New York — people who have committed crimes here and have violated federal laws by being in the United States illegally.' A federal law, the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, authorizes ICE to delegate authority to state and local police to perform certain immigration officer duties under ICE's oversight. But some states and communities have restricted how law enforcement officers can work with immigration authorities. New York law generally only allows police to arrest and detain people if there is reason to believe that a person has committed a crime. They aren't allowed to arrest someone solely because that person is not in the U.S. legally or has been ordered deported. County jails also aren't allowed to hold someone who has finished serving a sentence, or has been ordered released by the courts, simply because that person is wanted for noncriminal immigration law violations. Recent guidance from state Attorney General Letitia James advises local law enforcement against entering into agreements with ICE, saying they remain 'unsettled" in New York law. Advocacy groups were quick to criticize Nassau County's plan. Susan Gottehrer, the Nassau County regional director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, called it 'a dangerous decision that will undermine public safety and needlessly enable ICE's cruelty.' She called on Blakeman to rescind the partnership with ICE, or at least release more details about it. 'Most New York counties do not partner with ICE for a reason: when local law enforcement act like ICE agents, they take on ICE's reputation and sow deep distrust within the community," Gottehrer said in a statement. 'Immigrants become scared to speak to local police and under-report crimes due to fear of deportation — making it harder for officers to do their jobs and making everyone less safe.' Bryan Flanagan, the acting deputy director of ICE's New York City field office, said the partnership with Nassau County is aimed at protecting public safety and apprehending and deporting 'egregious alien offenders.' Nassau County has turned more conservative in recent years, electing Republicans to key leadership posts including Congress and county government. The number of immigrants also has been increasing. More than half a million immigrants live on Long Island, about a fifth of its population, according to a 2023 estimate by Immigration Research Initiative, which describes itself as a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank. They include immigrants there legally and illegally. In 2019, Nassau County was home to about 50,000 migrants who were in the country illegally, according to another nonpartisan think tank, the Migration Policy Institute., which said the estimate was based on U.S. Census data. Blakeman, the county executive, criticized New York bail laws for allowing many people charged with nonviolent crimes to go free while their cases are pending without having to pay money to stay out of jail. 'With this program, ICE can pick up illegal migrants who committed crimes … who may be out running around as we've seen many times and they are able to commit crime after crime without being held in a state court or without ICE removing them,' he said.
