Process also leads to the capture of two sex offenders Annapolis (July 15, 2009) - County Executive John R. Leopold today announced that changes he instituted to better detect and hold illegal immigrants have led to a significant increase in the number of offenders transferred to federal custody. "My priority always has been to enforce the law aggressively and assist people who abide by the rules to gain citizenship," County Executive Leopold said. "This new data shows tremendous results by making common-sense changes to our procedure in order to provide the maximum amount of assistance to federal law enforcement. Two registered sex offenders were also reported, detained and deported as a result of this process. In two years we have recorded three times the numbers of referrals to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and they have responded expeditiously with a comparable number of detainers." In 2006, the County made 298 referrals to ICE, resulting in 17 detainers. In 2007, the County made 826 referrals, resulting in 87 detainers. Last year, the County made 959 referrals resulting in 234 detainers. And through June of this year, the County recorded 408 referrals resulting in 170 detainers, putting the data projections at 800 referrals and 340 detainers for the year. The data can be explained by several initiatives, including notification of ICE within an hour instead of weekly, more reliable tracking of inmates, a longer holding period, a streamlined system to contact ICE and an increased number of ICE officers serving as contacts for the County. | 
