Created: 2/18/2009 12:49:34 PM 
Chapel Hill, NC -- A UNC study released Wednesday suggests the federal 287(g) program gives local law enforcement agencies the ability to profile suspects based on their race.
The 287(g) immigration program is controlled by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and gives local law enforcement agencies access to federal immigration databases. This process is used to identify illegal immigrants on a local level.
ICE also trains officers how to initiate deportation cases against those people.
According to the report, the program is being "used to purge towns and cities of 'unwelcome' immigrants," rather than actual criminals as originally planned.
"We found serious erosion of community trust, as well as legal concerns," Deborah Weissman, director of clinical programs at UNC's School of Law told WRAL-TV.
In the Triad, only Alamance County participates in the program, though Guilford County has expressed interest.
WRAL/UNC/WFMY News 2
