Federal immigration officials said Tuesday that they’ve reached a deal with Costa Mesa to place an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in the city’s jail to check the immigration status of suspects detained there. The agreement likely spells the end of the city’s controversial plan to train its own police for immigration enforcement.
Details are being worked out, but Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Virginia Kice said a federal agent will be assigned permanently to the Costa Mesa jail and probably will visit daily to review arrest records and interview possible immigration violators.
The news comes the same day Orange County Sheriff Mike Carona began training classes for deputies who will screen people booked into the county jail to find illegal immigrants.
