Clinton Signs Gallegly Bill on Immigrant Inmates
President Clinton on Tuesday signed into law a bill written by Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley) to make permanent a screening program that has been successful in rooting out illegal immigrants at the Ventura County Jail.
Not only will the program, which identifies criminals and illegal immigrants, continue at the county’s jail facility, but Clinton’s signature means it will also be expanded to more than 100 county jails nationwide, according to Gallegly.
The new law gives agents with the Immigration and Naturalization Service authority to place an immigration hold on county jail inmates--the first step in deporting them once they have served their time.
Gallegly’s bill was supported by many law enforcement agencies and local governments, as well as the California Correctional Peace Officers Assn.
Authorities say about one out of every 10 inmates at County Jail is in the country illegally or has committed an offense that could lead to deportation.
During a yearlong pilot project, INS agents interviewed 1,648 inmates at the jail and placed immigration holds on 943 of them.
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