Florida police can now match fingerprints to immigration status
Associated Press
Officials say a new program that allows Florida law enforcement agencies to check the immigration status of people arrested has found nearly 800 immigrants with serious criminal convictions in the first four months of 2009.
The program began operating in nine Florida counties in January. It allows the agencies to compare booking fingerprints against those found in Department of Justice and immigration databases. Previously, local agencies could only check the DOJ database.
Immigration officials in Miami said Friday that about 8,400 individuals have matched both lists.
The goal is to more quickly identify and deport individuals convicted of serious crimes. Authorities are using the program in 60 counties across the country.
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