U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Washington, Jun 8 - Washington, D.C. - Last night, the House of Representatives passed an amendment offered by Rep. John Sullivan to prohibit the Obama Administration from phasing out the critical 287(g) federal immigration enforcement program.  The Sullivan amendment was adopted to H.R. 5855, the Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2013, and specifically prohibits any funds to be used to terminate 287(g) agreements.  The Sullivan amendment was endorsed and key voted by Numbers USA, a leading grassroots immigration enforcement group.  Sullivan offered the following statement:
 
“The 287(g) program is one of the most successful programs we have to keep our communities safe from dangerous criminal illegal immigrants – yet President Obama wants to do away with it.  Since I partnered with Tulsa County Sheriff Stanley Glanz to bring the 287(g) program to Tulsa in 2007, TCSO has identified, processed and opened immigration proceedings on over 14,000 aliens, many of whom had dangerous criminal backgrounds including human trafficking, gang activity and money laundering.  In February of this year, 287(g) trained deputies busted up a sex slave ring in Tulsa, rescuing female victims from having up to 22 men forced on them per day – and that is just one example.   I applaud my colleagues in the House for supporting my amendment and sending a strong message to President Obama that until the Federal government steps up and starts doing its job, we will support local law enforcements’ efforts to pick up the slack to enforce our interior immigration laws.”
 
Tulsa County Sheriff Stanley Glanz, who partnered with Sullivan to bring the 287(g) program to Tulsa in 2007, weighed in with his full support for the Sullivan amendment.  
 
“The 287(g) program has proven to be an invaluable law enforcement tool in combating criminal organizations and infiltrating, identifying and apprehending criminal aliens – I thank John Sullivan for his leadership in fighting to keep this critical program right here in Tulsa.  This program has attributed in numerous ways, not only ridding our community of those individuals that diminish our quality of life, but it has also helped us protect the persons in our community that are vulnerable of victimization.  While helping the community understand the benefits of this program we have strengthened our relationships within the Hispanic population and other ethnic groups while working towards common human goals.”
 
Facts about Tulsa’s 287(g) program:
 

• Program Started in September of 2007

• Since the inception TCSO deputies have identified and processed 14,647 illegal aliens

• Of that number, 5002 were criminal illegal aliens apprehended in the Tulsa area by 25 different law enforcement agencies.

• Of that number, 9645 were criminal illegal aliens apprehended in other justification outside Tulsa County and brought to our facility for detention.