Some Connecticut police departments already working with "ICE"

Fairfield, CT - In a press conference Monday from New Haven City Hall, police chief Dean Esserman and his boss, Mayor John DeStefano, did not mince words when they discussed the implementation of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) "Secure Communities" program.

"We are not the American immigration police," Esserman said from a podium at city hall.

"In Fairfield county, over 70 percent of those picked up, many resulting in deportations, have been people with no criminal records, or first time offenses like writing a back check," said DeStefano.

However, the town of Fairfield's police chief, Gary MacNamara, said he couldn't speak for the entire county, but his department has had no problems working with ICE.  He calls it a marriage of databases.  Fingerprints taken from an arrest go to the FBI and then ICE.  If there is an immigration violation, they detain the suspect.

"It's for a criminal arrest, it's not for a traffic ticket.  We don't bring anybody in, and if they're fingerprinted, and ICE has an interest in them, they call us, we don't call them," said MacNamara.

MacNamara stresses the relationship hasn't been controversial, in fact, the whole program hasn't even been an issue.

"It operates kind of in the background for us," MacNamara said, "literally, I don't think we're the immigration police either. Immigration has a job to do, and we have a job to do."

The city of Danbury has been working with ICE for years.  According to Mayor Mark Boughton, 22 people were deported in the past year, all engaged in serious criminal conduct.  At least five of those arrested were sex offenders, and one was taking flying lessons. Additionally, Mayor Boughton said his police force has received numerous tips from undocumented residents. He adds that many officers are asking for specific immigration training from agents with ICE.

For MacNamara, he said education about the whole process is the key to ease angst.

"We want the community to come forward," MacNamara said. " We want people to be accessible to the police, and we certainly want that also. I think maybe it's due to misunderstanding, maybe we have to do a better job with building trust. But this is not us searching out questionable immigration status. Maybe it has to be explained a little better."