ICE Concentrating on Local Jails

U.S. jails and prisons have become strategic chokepoints in the search for undocumented immigrants.

More federal agents are more closely watching local jails for potentially tens of thousands of immigrants subject to deportation. Federal officials also are enlisting local authorities to do background checks on people under arrest.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials say more jail checks are crucial to preventing serious crimes by undocumented immigrants. In December, for example, an undocumented immigrant with a history of arrests for assaults and drug offenses shot two Long Beach police officers before he was killed in a gun battle. Click here.

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