Tuesday, November 14, 2017

USDHS-ICE Approved 287g MOA For The Waukesha County Sheriff's Office In Wisconsin

The Waukesha County Sheriff's Office and 22 other jurisdictions were approved by DHS-ICE to partnership and join the 287g MOA program, but the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office was denied the MOA application.

By H. Nelson Goodson
Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

November 14, 2017

Washington, D.C. - On Tuesday,  the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has approved the 287g Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the Waukesha County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) and 22 other jurisdictions around the nation, but denied former Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke's MOA application. President Trump could very well decide to approve such MOA agreement with the MCSO. Under the 287g MOA, selected trained deputies can enforce federal immigration laws and ask for legal status when processing County inmates under the supervision of ICE.
Eric Severson, the Waukesha County Sheriff released the following statement, "Today the Program Advisory Board at the Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Headquarters, recommended approval for Waukesha County in obtaining 287(g) authority relative to the jail model. Final approval is currently pending with the director of ICE and is expected to take up to 4 weeks."
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker (R) will have to approve the ICE MOA for the WCSO and if approved, it will most likely allow other state County Sheriff Departments to also apply for the 287g program as well.
Although, the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) has a contract with ICE to hold undocumented immigrants being processed for deportation and it automatically allows County jailers to ask for legal status from those suspected of being the country illegally when processed at the jail for minor or other violations.
In 2012, former Sheriff Clarke Jr. admitted that under the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program contract with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the County was reinburse about $135,000 in 2009 for holding undocumented detainees. In 2008, the county received at least $60,000 under the program, according to Sheriff Clarke Jr.
Under the above agreement, the MCSO has to check the legal status of everyone being processed at the jail that they suspect is an illegal alien and report their results to ICE.
Currently, the Kenosha County Sheriff's Office has a $6M contract with ICE to hold undocumented detainees.
In 2012, former Obama suspended the 287g program after it was blatantly abuse by former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, which deputies were found to illegally profile Latinos as undocumented, were illegally detained and violated the civil rights of those detained under 287g. A lawsuit filed in federal court against Sheriff Arpaio and Arizona's SB 1070 known as "Show Me Your Papers" law resulted in Obama's decision to suspend 287g because the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that it was legal to ask for legal status from those suspected being in the country illegally, but it denied for law enforcement to detain suspected undocumented immigrants for merely not having legal documents in their person, no work authorization, undermine the civil rights of Americans and increased profiling abuse.
The cost to implement the 287g program at a sheriff's department will become the burden of the County and local taxpayers. For example: in February 2017, Ed Gonzalez, the Harris County Sheriff in Texas decided to leave the 287g partnership with ICE because it cost taxpayers $675,000 and spurred racial profiling, according to the Texas Observer.
According to 287g MOA, the cost of the program is the sole responsibility of the law enforcement agency that agrees to partnership with ICE under the MOA understanding.


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