Irving Partners with ICE Through 24/7 CAP

A program implemented by the Irving Police Department in September 2006 is helping remove criminals from the community. The 24/7 Criminal Alien Program (CAP) is a partnership between the Irving Police Department and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. Under the program, Irving jailers notify federal officials if they have an arrested person who may be in the country illegally. If ICE makes a request, the prisoner is held on their authority.

Since the program’s inception, ICE has requested that 1,675 individuals be held for further investigation. Many of these individuals have been arrested for serious crimes including homicide, sexual assault, indecency, endangering a child or driving while intoxicated. If they were in the United States illegally, these criminals had holds placed on them by federal officials, removing them as a threat to Irving.

“This program is not aimed at any specific group of individuals,” said Police Chief Larry Boyd. “Rather, it focuses on people who have flaunted the laws that we all must obey.” Deportees represent more than 40 countries including, but not limited to, France, Guatemala, India, Israel, Scotland, South Korea and Sudan.

Only individuals who are arrested and enter the Irving jail are subject to evaluation by the 24/7 CAP.  Persons who are able to provide a driver’s license or other acceptable form of identification may receive summonses for misdemeanor crimes or traffic violations rather than be arrested for those offenses. The only time an individual’s legal status is questioned is when that person cannot provide proper identification during the jail intake process after they have been arrested. Irving police officers make no attempt to determine a person’s immigration status while performing their normal law enforcement functions.

The immigration status of people arrested will be reviewed because they have broken state and/or federal laws. Some people have tried to mitigate offense categories in an effort to debate the U.S. immigration policy. However, the 24/7 CAP is solely designed to protect the Irving community and allow the Immigration Custom Enforcement agency access to information that helps them fulfill their federal law enforcement mandate.

“U.S. immigration policy is a complex issue that must be resolved at the federal level,” said Mayor Herbert Gears. “Protecting our community from sex offenders, burglars, drunk drivers and other law breakers is a local issue. The 24/7 CAP is helping to bridge that gap and accomplish an important goal.”