House budget writers are want to give the N.C. Sheriffs Association an extra $1 million, supposedly to go toward improved immigration enforcement.
That naturally would include assistance with the federal 287g program, but it’s a little more complicated than that. For starters, lawmakers seem surprised that more sheriffs offices might not be joining the program:
Lawmakers say they thought the funding would help most of the state’s sheriff’s offices sign up for the federal 287(g) program, which allows deputies to check immigration status and begin deportation proceedings for illegal immigrants brought into county jails.
The association says it is using the money to help sheriff’s offices — including the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, which will begin the program in July — fill out paperwork, negotiate agreements and cover costs of sending deputies to four-week training.
However, Wake is one of only three new North Carolina offices that have been accepted into the federal program in the past year, and officials with Immigration and Customs Enforcement say they don’t have the resources to enroll more. ICE spokesman Richard Rocha said no more will join the program in the near future.
That came as a surprise to lawmakers.
Rep. Jimmy Love, a Sanford Democrat who heads the justice and public safety appropriations subcommittee with Bordsen, said that when he included $1 million in this year’s budget, he thought many more counties would join the program.
…..Eddie Caldwell, the association’s general counsel, said the group is working with federal officials to find the best immigration enforcement method for each sheriff’s office.
In addition to helping the offices that have signed up for 287(g), he said, the group is offering training about other enforcement programs and about state laws regarding immigrants.
The way I see it, this highlights the fact that 287g isn’t necessarily a one-size fits all program, something that U.S. Senate candidate Kay Hagan should continue to emphasize in her race against Elizabeth Dole. But Hagan still needs to come up with some concrete solutions of her own.
