Immigration Agents To Work Out Of Travis County Jail

AUSTIN (AP) – Immigration agents will set up an office at the Travis County Jail to monitor the status of people booked into the facility.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has officers stationed at some detention facilities, including the Dallas County Jail.

At the Irving jail and others, jailers can call a 24-hour number and have ICE personnel check databases or speak with detainees to determine if they are legally in the country.

Travis County Sheriff Greg Hamilton says the agents will likely be stationed in the jail 24 hours a day, seven days a week in coming months.

Austin police have had a yearslong practice of not asking suspects or victims about their immigration status.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)