SEATTLE (AP) — Federal immigration agents are now checking fingerprints of everyone booked into local jails in Washington.
Washington became the 34th state Tuesday in the program known as Secure Communities.
The Seattle Times reports it allows Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to check the prints against a national immigration database. The goal is to deport those who have committed serious crimes.
The program expands one ICE already operates nationwide that allows its officers to check jail booking names.
Officials say the program has helped deport 129,000 convicted criminals since 2008.
