DEPORTATION CASES SOAR AS L.A. JAILS SCREEN MORE

The number red-flagged to face possible deportation once they serve their sentences went from 3,050 in 2005 to 5,829 last year.

The numbers skyrocketed from 658 in the second quarter of 2005 to 1,685 in the third quarter of 2006.

"The benefit is these people who are committing crimes aren't being released onto our streets to commit more crimes. They are being removed from the United States," said Jim Hayes, director of the Los Angeles field office for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The sharp increase in potential deportees is believed to be the result of more screening, rather than an increase in the number of illegal immigrants in the jails.

Eight screeners have been assigned to the jail since late 2005, resulting in the screening of almost 10,000 convicts. In addition, the number of federal agents assigned to the jail was doubled in October.

The screening includes running a convict's name through an ICE database to see if he or she is on a list of people previously deported or otherwise found to have violated immigration laws.

The process also includes using interview techniques developed by the immigration agency to find the person's place of birth and immigration status, checking government records for birth and Social Security records and calling relatives for information.

Some backers of the program say it shows that illegal immigrants have been playing a significant role in the county's crime problems, and they argue for greater screening by local police.

"It's a good start, but they need to go further," said Paul Orfanedes, litigation director for Judicial Watch, a group that has sued law enforcement agencies, including the Los Angeles Police Department, alleging that they fail to enforce immigration laws.

The jail screening program has been controversial, however, because of concerns that immigrants in the general community might become hesitant to report crimes to local police if they knew sheriff's employees were helping in deportations. Critics say immigration matters should be handled only by federal officers.