CITY OF HOUSTON Fax

Office of the Mayor

901 Bagby, 3n1 Floor,
Houston. Texas 77002
Post Office Box 1562
Houston, Texas 77251·1562

To: Bob Rutt Date: 3/16/09 o Urgent

Fax: 202-732-5874 Phone: Pages: 3 o Please Comment
From: Mayor Bill White o For Review
Fax: Phone: o Please Reply
Re: SEE THE AITACHED o Please Recycle
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Per your conversation wittl Michael Moore, please deliver to Assistant Secretary Torres.

Thank you.
 OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
CITY OF HOUSTON
TEXAS

March 16, 2009

John P. Torres
Actin.g Assistant Secretary
U.S. Department ofHomeJand Security
500 J2th Street
Washington D.C. 20024

Dear Assistant Secretary Torres,

I am asking you to help expedite Houston's request to enter into a 2S7(g) Jail
Mutual Operating Agreement (MOA). Please work with Chief Harold Hurtt of the
Houston Police Department and his command staff to speed the process for cross
training our police officers and establishing necessary communications,
technological and logistical connections to provide our officers with access to the
IDENT database and any other resources available under the 287(g) program.

In 2006) we initiated a program with ICE designed to give ICE full access to our
jail and to screen aU arrested persons for ICE warrants and holds. We understand
that the IDENT database requires an MOA. That agreement can be a duplicate of
the agreement made between ICE and Harris County, which is the principal jail
custodian for local offenders. We can coordinate with the Harris County Sheriffs
Department to prevent duplication of effort.

For years we have planned to merge the City and County jail operations and we
have a written agreement with Harris County concernjng the tenns of that merger.
Until that time, we need sufficient ICE resources, in combination with our
Houston Police Department, to ensure screening of those arrested for Class C
misdemeanors in the City jail. Those in our custody have been
the 2006 procedures instituted with ICE, and this information. has
ICE.

I will be urging other jail custodians in our region, outside of

enter into 2S7(g) agreements as well

POST OFFICE BOX 1562 • HOUSTON, TEXAS 77

 Letter to Assistant Secretary Torres
March 16,2009
Page 2

Thank you in advance for your prompt assistance with this request. If there is
anythin.g the City of Houston an.d or the Houston Police Department can do to
expedite the process. contact either me or Chief Harold L. Hurtt.

Sincerely,

I3llw~
Bill White
Mayor
 Office ofthe Assistant Secretary

u.s. D~pllr1ment or Homeland Mcurily

500 12th Street, SW
Washington. DC 20536

u.s. Immigration
and Customs
Enforcement

MAR 2 02009
The Honorable Bill White
Mayor of Houston
P.O. Box 1562
Houston, Texas 77251

Dear Mayor White:

Thank you for your March 16, 2009, letter requesting that the Houston Police Department enter
into the 287(g) Delegation of Authority program offered by U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE). We wi ll expedite our review of your request. Additionally, we will work
with the Harris County Sheriffs Office and the Houston Police Department to ensure that our
law enforcement efforts are not duplicated. Finally, ICE will identify the necessary resources to
successfully achieve our publi c safety mission.

ICE wi ll immediately send ICE' s "Needs Assessment Tool." The

information captured by this form fu lly identify the specific needs of the
Houston Police Department. [n the event you any questions while your request is pending,
feel free to contact me directly. ~, your local of contact for ICE
Agent In Charge ~t (281) Field Office Director
(28 1) 771tl_ CI
Thank you again for your interest in ICE and the 287(g) Delegation of Authority program. We
look forward to continued strategic discussions and efforts with the Houston Police Department
and the Harris County Sheriffs Office to build on a strong partnership to combat the
immigration and customs enforcement challenges of your community.

Sincerely,

Enclosure

www.ice.go