Study looks at immigration law enforcement

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 (UPI) -- Hispanic residents have left U.S. counties signing on to a federal initiative that partners with local police to target illegal immigrants, a study says.

The Migration Policy Institute compared practices and results in five counties in California, Maryland, Virginia and two in Georgia, the city of Las Vegas and the state of Colorado. The report released Monday examined whether the focus was primarily on illegal immigrants who have committed serious crimes or on those caught up in traffic stops or suspected of minor offenses.

The program, which trains local police to identify illegal immigrants, was approved by Congress in 1996. While the Obama administration has said its immigration priority is deporting those involved in serious and violent crime, the report said local law enforcement appears to decide what its targets will be.

The number of Hispanics in Prince William County in Maryland and Frederick County in Virginia dropped significantly after they joined the program. Most appear to have moved to neighboring counties that were not participating.

Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins defended his county's broad scope. He told The Washington Post an illegal immigrant driving a car inappropriately can be just as dangerous to the public as a serious offender -- and is breaking the law in several ways.

"How many free passes do you give someone?" Jenkins asked.