Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the opportunity to rise and speak on behalf of H.R. 1493. a bill to make permanent and expand a very successful pilot program which identifies deportable criminal aliens awaiting arraignment. Since the pilot program began in November of last year. over 1.400 inmates have been interviewed at the Ventura County Jail. Of that number. almost 60 percent have been found to be deportable criminal aliens. This legislation will make permanent this vital crimefighting tool. and will also help other affected communities across the Nation. Like the current pilot program. H.R. 1493 would require the INS to screen for deportable criminal and illegal aliens prior to arraignment. thus preventing the release of these individuals back onto our streets and into our communities. The bill also calls for a GAO study on expanding the program by allowing INS agents to conduct offsite verification of prisoners using computers or other electronic means. In our desire to address concerns raised during the hearing on H.R. 1493. the bill was improved in several ways as it moved through the committee process.
Keywords matched
illegal aliens deportable