ICE declines to deport LA protesters

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LOS ANGELES, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- U.S. immigration officials said they had no plans to take custody of four undocumented immigrants arrested during a protest in Los Angeles.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency told the Los Angeles Times the agency had checked out the four and decided not to pursue deportation.

"The cases weren't consistent with our priorities," said ICE spokeswoman Virginia Kice.

The four had taken part in a rally Thursday against Secure Communities, a federal program that allows local police to hold suspects arrested on other charges for 48 hours if ICE suspects they are in the United States illegally.

The Times said Secure Communities has been a controversial program. Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca has said his agency would not take part, and legislation pending in the state capital would ban California agencies from cooperating with it in most cases.