James Roy Bacchas has allegedly tried to kill a police officer, but was walking the streets of Florida until a Sheriff's deputy hauled him in for carrying a concealed weapon.
Once fingerprinted, a new high tech biometrics system sent his details to Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents who discovered he's not even supposed to be in the United States. He's here illegally.
Michael Meade from ICE Removal Operations said, “If there is a match indicating a person had an immigration record, the system automatically alerts ICE and the local law enforcement agency that made the arrest.”
Tuesday, afternoon Federal agents and local and state police announced the full implementation statewide of the biometrics information sharing program. It’s designed to make you safer by taking dangerous criminals who aren’t supposed to be in the country off the streets and save taxpayers money.
When local police make an arrest, federal agents get the information, too, and then can go directly to the jail to start deportation when the time comes, and there is no need for a manhunt.
“The cornerstone of secure communities is a new information-sharing program that automatically identifies potentially deportable criminal aliens when they come into state or local custody”, said Meade.
“Secure Communities has proven effective and we are positive the partnership will grow and make our community safer”, said BSO's James Wimberly.
“Although it’s conceivable that someone could get released," Jim Previtera of the Hillsboroigh Sheriff’s Office said. "The communication has improved and the technology here is long overdue.”
ICE said in Florida already they've found 1800 dangerous criminal aliens since the program started in less than half the state's counties. Some had committed murder, others rape, kidnapping, and burglary.
Agents say with the program expanding today to all of Florida, few if any who shouldn't be in the U.S., and commit crimes in the state, will slip through the cracks and end up in your neighborhood to cause more trouble.
