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Critics want more deputies in ICE training
First, it was, "When will you start enforcing immigration laws?" Now, it's, "Why did it take so long?""Anything you do is not enough for them," Loudoun Sheriff Steve Simpson said of his critics.
During last year's heated sheriff's election, Simpson was the target of much criticism for waiting to broker an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to train Loudoun deputies to identify and deport illegal immigrants.
This month, criticism has again ratcheted up. On June 17, Simpson announced that his department will start checking this summer the citizenship status of people arrested for serious felonies. Some people are concerned by the fact that only three investigators will receive training from ICE.
"I'm looking at Prince William and it looks like they got more," said Supervisor Eugene Delgaudio (R-Sterling), a supporter of cracking down on illegal immigration. “... If we would have started this two years ago, we would have done a lot more by now.”
Joseph Budzinski is the spokesman for Help Save Loudoun, which advocates enforcing immigration laws.
"Three trained deputies is better than nothing," he said. “... But it makes you wonder if we might have gotten a better deal from ICE if he had acted sooner.”
According to data on ICE's Web site, six Prince William County police officers and two of its sheriff's deputies have gone through the training program. Also, at least seven of Herndon's officers have taken part, as well as 26 officers in Frederick County, Md., immediately north of Loudoun.
The training is part of ICE's 287(g) program -- named for a section of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act -- that Loudoun entered into earlier this month after a year of negotiations with ICE officials.
Simpson, who was first elected sheriff in 1995, said it took so long to reach an agreement because ICE was swamped with similar requests from jurisdictions across the country.
He also said he wanted more of his deputies trained by ICE, especially those who work in the county jail near Leesburg. But he was told by ICE that due to recent budget cuts and limited jail space to hold illegal immigrants, it had reduced participation in its 287(g) program.
"I applaud the sheriff," said Supervisor Susan Klimek Buckley (D-Sugarland Run). "I think this is a great beginning."
Simpson said he plans to request in the future that more of his deputies receive ICE training. He called this latest round of criticism "political" in nature.
"I would like to think they would have moved beyond this," he said. "I have."
Contact the reporter at jjacks@timespapers.com
"He (Simpson) also said he wanted more of his deputies trained by ICE, especially those who work in the county jail near Leesburg. But he was told by ICE that due to recent budget cuts and limited jail space to hold illegal immigrants, it had reduced participation in its 287(g) program".
If the Sheriff is earnest about increased capacity in the 287(g) program then he needs to go before the Loudoun Board of Supervisors and request their intervention with Congressman Frank Wolf. I know Mr. Wolf has NO PROBLEM discussing the matter with Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff. We, the LEGAL citizens of Loudoun County demand that Sheriff Simpson have every last resource he needs to ENFORCE-OUR-LAWS. There is NO EXCUSE for not abiding by the Rule-of-Law in Loudoun County.
Posted by Gbaxter
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Yes, let's make the immigrant community fear the police even more. Good idea! Just let them sort out their own problems as they see fit. We don't need to have the police called to intervene with all those crimes and if they do call the cops they should be punished for wasting taxpayer money seeking protection from criminals. If a few innocent people get hurt in the crossfire then so be it. It's not like they are really human.
Thanks Republican supervisors for putting this through. I feel so much safer now that I know we can go after criminals AND victims!
Posted by Sam
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The sheriff seems a little oversensitive about this, it's not unreasonable to think we'd be better off with more than three trained deputies. How many shifts can the three of them cover in a week?
Posted by hensley
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HEADLINE: "Critics want more deputies in ICE training"
SHERIFF: "He also said he wanted more of his deputies trained by ICE, especially those who work in the county jail near Leesburg. But he was told by ICE that due to recent budget cuts and limited jail space to hold illegal immigrants, it had reduced participation in its 287(g) program".
WELL WHICH IS MR. JACKS? Seems to me EVERYONE WANTS MORE LAW ENFORCEMENT. What's wrong with that?
Posted by PHenry
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