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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Eye On Boise

ACLU: New immigration bill would change Idaho law enforcement practices, may raise constitutional issues

Kathy Griesmyer, policy director for the ACLU of Idaho, says the ACLU still is researching the impact of the immigration bill that was introduced in an Idaho House committee today, but the group believes it makes far-reaching changes in current law enforcement practices in Idaho and may raise constitutional issues.

“Right now, local law enforcement is not required to research everybody’s immigration background when they’re brought in on whatever charge to the county jail,” she said. “The bill mandates that law enforcement … do the research themselves, then notify the feds.” Currently, she said, while local law enforcement officers cooperate with federal immigration authorities, it’s the federal officers, not the local ones, who are responsible for and initiate those inquiries.



Betsy Z. Russell
Betsy Z. Russell joined The Spokesman-Review in 1991. She currently is a reporter in the Boise Bureau covering Idaho state government and politics, and other news from Idaho's state capital.

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