BEL AIR, MD — A murder suspect is among 44 people found to be living in the U.S. illegally by Harford County deputies who are trained as immigration officers, according to the Harford County Sheriff's Office. The announcement on Monday came more than a year after the sheriff's office launched a special program with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in which some officers were trained to screen people coming through the Harford County Detention Center.

Nine correctional deputies have been trained by ICE, and one more is set to enter training in January, officials said. Since the program's inception at the Harford County Detention Center last October, 44 people already in custody have been identified as illegally living in the U.S. and meeting the federal priority criteria for removal, officials said.



Crimes they were charged with included second-degree murder, identity theft, fraud, armed robbery and drug possession, according to the sheriff's office. Five of them were tied to gangs, of which four were members of MS-13, according to the sheriff's office, which declined to provide the names of the suspects. "The stats speak for themselves," Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey R. Gahler said in a statement. "The decision for the Harford County Sheriff's Office to take part in the 287(g) program was the right choice. Without question, adding this tool to our crime fighting tool belt helps protect Harford County residents. The ability to detain violent criminals and keep them from re-victimizing the citizens of Harford County is paramount. Without this program, violent criminals including four members of a violent gang could still be free and in our community."