Harris County Deputies Will Work with ICE

Nine deputies will have the ability to start the deportation process.

By KTRH's Alan Scaia
Wednesday, August 27, 2008

The Harris County Sheriff's Office has trained nine deputies to work with immigration agents. The deputies will work in the jail and have the ability to trace aliens' lineage and start the deportation process.

"This really helps on a local level having deputies who can do that," says Major Bob Van Pelt. "It helps ICE out, and it helps the community out. They can identify those individuals who come under their purview and who are booked into the Harris County Jail."

Nine deputies have completed the training and will work at the jail. They will look into the immigration status of suspects under the supervision of federal investigators.

"You're going to see a more enhanced, ramped up community in these communities to deport criminal aliens from our society," says Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX). "Katy was sued by the ACLU several years ago just for working with INS."

McCaul says Katy stopped working with immigration agents for four years as a result of the lawsuit. He says smaller departments need to communicate with federal investigators.

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