ICE officials encourage tips (Milford Daily News)

ICE officials encourage tips By Danielle Ameden/Daily News staff
GHS
Posted Mar 25, 2008 @ 01:07 AM

MILFORD —
With illegal immigration perceived as a "fairly severe" problem here, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents told selectmen last night they may be able to crack down in town with the help of local police.
But watching a presentation from two special agents, the board learned just how tough a task ICE has: chasing after not only illegal immigrants, but narcotics traffickers, weapons and military technology thieves, gangs, cyber criminals and human smugglers.
"Our focus is on criminals; our focus is not only illegal aliens," said Bruce Foucart, special agent in charge of Boston's ICE office. "We are often pegged as 'immigration,"' he said, but "customs is also at least 50 percent of what we're doing."
Still, as undocumented men, women and children from countries such as Brazil and Ecuador flock here, Foucart said his agency embraces tips from police. But with limited resources, it comes down to prioritization, he said.
"They can and will act," said state Rep. John Fernandes, D-Milford. "They can make Milford a priority if the right information is provided."
Police Chief Thomas O'Loughlin said the door is open between his department and ICE, the largest law enforcement branch of the federal Department of Homeland Security.
"They are our eyes and ears for the streets," said Foucart, crediting Milford with helping ICE nab local roofer Daniel Tacuri and 14 other illegal immigrants during a pre-dawn December raid of his Jefferson Street home.
Milford Police Officer Joseph Shuras tipped off ICE on the case.
Tacuri, 32, who came here from Ecuador, has pleaded not guilty to 39 federal counts of harboring and employing illegal immigrants and making false statements.
"They were right on that investigation and did a bang-up job on it," O'Loughlin said of ICE.
The agents, Fernandes and O'Loughlin reported, were the beginning of a strong relationship to catch criminals.
"Thank God we have you," Selectman Dino DeBartolomeis told the agents.
A particular priority for ICE right now, Foucart said, is targeting illegal immigrants posing a threat to public safety and national security, and those who have re-entered the United States after being deported.
Fernandes said he is trying to bring in a state official in charge of immigration and refugee issues to talk with Milford leaders about Gov. Deval Patrick's priorities on the topic.
Last night's discussion touched on how to target the people who employ the estimated 20 to 35 million illegal immigrants in the country.
"Handcuffing a few employers certainly goes a long way on making it known you're serious about it," selectmen Chairman Bill Buckley said.
He called the impact of illegal immigration here broad and widespread, from the local schools to the emergency room. Buckley said many in the community would like an ICE van parked in the middle of Main Street.
"I think it's fair to say Milford has a fairly severe illegal immigration situation in the town," said Selectman Brian Murray.
Fernandes underscored the importance of local communities working with ICE and understanding the agency's resource constraints.
"It's not going to be they put people on every street corner and pick up the crimes themselves," he said. At the same time, he said, they can't act on everything if Milford calls up ICE tomorrow "and says, here's 500 leads."
Danielle Ameden can be reached at 508-634-7521 or dameden@cnc.com.