County Executive Steuart Pittman signed a letter to ICE today withdrawing the County from participation in the controversial 287g program at the County detention facility.
The program trained detention officers to potentially determine an incoming inmate’s citizen status and if appropriate refer it to ICE for further review, detention, or to begin deportation proceedings.
Outgoing Correctional Superintendent Terry Kokolis explained that without the 287g Program, the County would revert back to a CAP (acronym for Criminal Alien Program) program which had been in place for more than a dozen years. Kokolis said that the information has always been available to ICE to make their determination and will continue to be there as well. Anne Arundel County will not be supplying the information in the future; ICE will have to seek it out. Regarding the ending of the program just after the speech by Pittman at his inauguration, Kokolis said that the Department of Homeland Security had removed the equipment necessary and without the equipment, it made no sense for the officers to continue processing under the program.
Pittman backtracked on a campaign point on the Ordinance Road facility. This facility is being used by ICE to house detainees and they pay the county $118 per day per detainee. These are people already detained by ICE. During the campaign, Pittman suggested ending this program as well and using the facility as a rehab facility for addiction. After review, Pittman said that the conditions were far better than facilities as near as Baltimore and certainly better than those down south. The program will continue. Pittman noted that under former County Executive Schuh, the revenues from ICE were put in a general fund. Pittman will create a separate fund and the money received will go to support detention staffing and legal representation for the detainees.
County Police Chief Tim Altomare was also present to discuss how the department handles immigration status. Quite simply, Altomare said that the department does not care about status, color, gender, or anything else, they are there to help when called and will continue to do so. He did say that the status of the 287g program had no impact on the work of the police department.
