LEXINGTON (WACH) -- William Holley is the latest correctional officer at the Lexington Detention Center who gets the chance to make sure illegal criminals are off the streets in Lexington County.
“He'll be processed for a court date later on and the immigration judge from there will determine if he's deported or if he stays,” says William Holley.
Holley recently graduated from the 287(g) Immigration Authority Delegation Program, from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Academy in Charleston.
He and two other officers have the ability to enforce immigration laws.
“The immigration enforcement that we have here is solely done with inmates who have been arrested for a crime committed in Lexington County,” says Major John Allard, Lexington County Sheriff’s Office.
Here’s how the program works.
If you get arrested during the intake process you're asked for your personal information like your social security number and where you were born.
If you identify another country you'll go through additional screening using the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Database, to verify your immigration status.
“Every single inmate is screened so there is no profiling there is no targeting,” says Major Allard.
Major John Allard says local taxpayers don't have to worry about footing a bill for the jail.
“We know it's reduced our jail population by approximately ten percent and it's very important for our local taxpayers to know, that once someone is placed in I.C.E custody the federal government then pays the cost of housing the inmate,” says Major Allard.
So far, according to I.C.E of the 529 foreign nationals who were arrested at the detention center 339 of them have been sent back to their native countries.
Do you believe this program will help crack down on illegal immigration? Vote in our poll below and leave a comment.
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