ICE Uses Info Sharing In Talbot, Dorchester

EASTON, Md. (AP) -- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has begun sharing biometrics, or fingerprints, in Dorchester and Talbot counties to identify immigrants in law enforcement custody for crimes. 

The program allows fingerprint information to be checked against FBI criminal history records and biometrics-based immigration records kept by the Department of Homeland Security. 

Previously, fingerprints were just checked against the Department of Justice biometric system kept by the FBI. 

If there is a match, the new automated process, which began Tuesday, notifies ICE. 

ICE says it is part of an initiative called Secure Communities. ICE is using this capability in nine Maryland jurisdictions. 

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