For police officers?

Question

Do you feel your hands are tied when it comes to arresting illegals in your town or city?

Answer 1

Yes.

We recently stopped a van carrying 15 illegal immigrants. Contact ICE and they stated that they did not want us to detain them.

Many of my arrests that result in jail are of illegal immigrants. Each time I take an illegal to jail, i inform the jail of the illegal's status. Jail calls ICE and inquires whether a "detainer" should be placed on the arrestee ior whether they can bond out...I can recall 2 times when a detainer was issued....the rest of the time they are free to bond out and continue commiting crimes in this country.

So yes, our hands are tied, its catch and release.

Answer 2

I have arrested illegal immigrants for felony charges and been told by ICE to release them because they have no manpower to put out a detainer on them.

Answer 3

Working as a cop until recently, we were flat out prohibited from inquiring into the citizenship status of anyone.  And, like the other officer mentioned, when we did come across an individual we knew to be illegal, and charges were involved, ICE declined authorization to hold them.  Not only are your hands tied, if you try to do anything about it, your risking your future as an officer.