Deportation Program Put on Hold

Federal immigration officials have shelved their controversial program that would better identify illegal immigrants booked into Montgomery County jail.

Already in effect in more than 1,400 jurisdictions across the country, the "Secure Communities" program links participating jails with federal databases. The fingerprints of everyone booked into that jail is checked to see if they are an illegal immigrant or a legal immigrant who has committed a deportable offense.

The program was set to launch in Montgomery County on Sept. 27, but has been pushed back indefinitely while U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement revises its deployment schedule.

"At this time, I do not have a date for Montgomery County," John Alderman, director of ICE’s Baltimore field office, wrote in a Sept. 8 email to county corrections officials.

While awaiting a new starting date, county jails will continue to enforce a policy that County Executive Leggett implemented in 2009, wherein police are supposed to send ICE the name of everyone arrested for "crimes of violence"—a list of more than two dozen charges that includes arson, first-degree assault and serious child abuse and sex crimes.

"We’ll just keep doing what we’re doing, unless or until that gets superseded," said Leggett spokesman Patrick Lacefield.

This marks another delay in the program’s arrival in Montgomery County, which was supposed to come nearly two years ago:

• Summer 2009: ICE designates Montgomery County as one of Maryland’s first five jurisdictions where Secure Communities will launch.

• 2010: The program instead launches in other Maryland counties, including Prince George’s, Queen Anne's and Anne Arundel. Secure Communities has since taken effect in every Maryland jurisdiction except Baltimore City and Montgomery County.

• April 2011: Sept. 27 set as the starting date for Montgomery County jails.

• June 2011: ICE announces that it will improve Secure Communities training and oversight, and will better safeguard against the deportation of victims and witnesses.

Critics have blasted Secure Communities for too often straying from its stated goal of identifying only the most dangerous criminals. Since launching in Prince George’s County, most of the illegal immigrants it identified had no criminal record.

Immigrant advocates unsuccessfully pressured Leggett to abstain from Secure Communities. In May, the County Council calling on federal leaders to reform or revoke the program.