Birmingham, AL – An Alabama congressman says a delay in extending a federal illegal immigration program statewide is a politically driven response to the state's controversial immigration crackdown.
Secure Communities, which aims to identify illegal immigrants with criminal records, is in 37 Alabama counties after missing a deadline that it be in all 67 by the end of 2011.
U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt says that Department of Homeland Security officials told him in an email the program would not go statewide because of the controversy over Alabama's immigration law. The federal government is challenging Alabama's law in court.
The Haleyville Republican says delaying the Secure Communities program in Alabama ``is incomprehensible.''
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman says efforts to bring Alabama counties online for the program are continuing.
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