by Kate Shunney
Morgan County Sheriff’s Department has been working with federal agents toward a 287 (g) agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for several months, an arrangement in which local officers can alert ICE agents to the presence of suspects without immigration documentation or legal status.
Last Friday, October 24, Sheriff’s deputies initiated a traffic stop on a Virginia minivan in which four individuals were traveling and determined them to be immigrants without proper documentation.
A member of the public saw the incident and shared information with The Morgan Messenger, and Sheriff Johnnie Walter confirmed additional details.
According to the Sheriff’s Department, ICE agents were contacted and all four individuals were detained and transported to the Eastern Regional Jail to await further immigration action.
“Our first contact involving individuals unlawfully present in the United States occurred last Friday during a traffic stop. Upon verification by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), their illegal status was confirmed. The individuals were transported to the Eastern Regional Jail (ERJ), where they were processed by ICE agents,” the Sheriff said in an email.
“Since the program’s implementation, we have detained six individuals through traffic stops and transferred them to ICE custody,” said Sheriff Walter.
The sheriff briefed Morgan County Commissioners several months ago about the program and the training that would be provided to local deputies to participate in it.
“Our agency has officially become operational under the 287(g) Task Force Program. All designated deputies have completed the required training and are now authorized Immigration Task Force Officers. This initiative initially began in Jefferson and Berkeley Counties, and our county is the third to join the program,” Sheriff Walter said on Monday in an email to The Morgan Messenger.
According to the program information page, after a law enforcement agency joins the 287 (g) program, the federal agency will train local officers on “immigration law,” “multicultural communication” and “avoiding racial profiling.” ICE pays for that training and can reimburse participating agencies for related expenses.
Statewide arrests
Statewide, other West Virginia police agencies have also signed up as partners under the 287(g) program.
Governor Patrick Morrisey announced last week that the West Virginia State Police have arrested 60 illegal immigrants in the state since beginning operations through the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) 287(g) program.
“My administration continues to take aggressive action to combat illegal immigration with the support of President Donald Trump, Secretary Kristi Noem, and ICE,” said Governor Morrisey. “Our intent is to take any legal action necessary to protect West Virginians. If you are here illegally, if you are caught breaking our laws, if you are smuggling drugs – you will be arrested, you will be tried, and if found guilty, you will pay a heavy price.”
The governor’s office said an operation staged near Bridge Day on the West Virginia State Police Turnpike on October 18 led to the arrest of nine individuals and another operation near I-79 led to another nine arrests.
