WASHINGTON, July 11 (UPI) -- Critics of the U.S. Senate reform bill are concerned it removes local and state police authority to detain illegal immigrants, The Washington Times reports.
The bill's wording says police could arrest the aliens only if they commit certain additional violations of federal immigration law such as marriage fraud or document counterfeiting.
Under current law, police can contact the Law Enforcement Support Center, a database in Vermont that maintains the status and identities of aliens suspected, arrested or convicted. If it turns out that the suspect is in the U.S. illegally, the officer may arrest the person, the Times said.
Former U.S. Department of Justice lawyer Kris Kobach told the newspaper four of the Sept. 11, 2001, hijackers had committed immigration violations and had been stopped by state and local police before the attacks, and could have been arrested had police used the LESC system to check their status.
"This is a time bomb that is just waiting to do a lot of damage," Kobach said of the Senate's bill.
The House passed immigration reform legislation last December and a conference committee will convene on the two versions later this year.
