September 30, 2005

Alabama Increasing Number of State Troopers Able to Arrest Illegal Immigrants

MONTGOMERY – Governor Bob Riley announced today that Alabama will more than double the number of state troopers it can use to arrest illegal immigrants.

An additional 25 state troopers will begin federal immigration law enforcement training next month at the Center for Domestic Preparedness in Anniston, Governor Riley said. After completing the five-week training course in mid-November, these 25 state troopers will join 21 others who went through the special training in 2003.

Under an agreement signed by Governor Riley and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in 2003, Alabama is one of only three states in the country with the authority to use state troopers as federal immigration enforcement officers. Florida was the first state to receive this authority, and earlier this year Arkansas became the third.

“Border security and enforcement are a federal responsibility. However, Alabama is stepping in to do what it can to arrest those who have no legal right to be here,” Governor Riley said. “We’ve been a pioneer in this area and will continue to be.”

The 2003 agreement Governor Riley signed allows the state to use state troopers to enforce federal immigration law once they have gone through special training by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. The 21 state troopers who went through the training in 2003 are able to question, detain and arrest illegal immigrants they encounter during the course of their normal duties. The training is paid for by ICE.

“Until Governor Riley signed this agreement, our state troopers who came into contact with illegal aliens had to let them go because the troopers did not have authority to arrest them. This left us with a ‘catch-and-release’ problem because federal officials were unable to come and get them,” said Colonel Mike Coppage, Director of the Alabama Department of Public Safety. “Today the men and women of our trooper force who are trained to carry out this important mission are proud to serve as a force multiplier in our nation’s homeland security efforts.”

Many of the illegal immigrants who have been arrested in Alabama had previous criminal convictions including armed robbery, rape and drug smuggling. Others arrested in Alabama were charged with such crimes as illegal possession of a firearm, bulk cash smuggling and Social Security fraud.

“Alabama welcomes those who enter the country legally, but we won’t stand idly by and do nothing when we catch illegal immigrants in our state,” Governor Riley said.

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