Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has announced an expansion and revision of the controversial program that gives police and correction officers a direct role in immigration enforcement. More standard guidelines will be put in place across the country, said today’s press release:

To address concerns that individuals may be arrested for minor offenses as a guise to initiate removal proceedings, the new agreement explains that participating local law enforcement agencies are required to pursue all criminal charges that originally caused the offender to be taken into custody.

Agencies currently taking part the program  — mostly jails — will have to agree to the new guidlelines in order to continue. Eleven more agencies are enrolling in the program:  Gwinnett (GA) County Sheriff’s Department; Monmouth (NJ) County Sheriff’s Office; Rhode Island Department of Corrections; Delaware Department of Corrections – Sussex Correctional Institution; Houston Police Department; City of Mesquite (NV) Police Department; Morristown (NJ) Police Department; City of Mesa (AZ) Police Department; Florence (AZ) Police Department; Guilford County (NC) Sheriff’s Office; Charleston County (SC) Sheriff’s Office.

No agencies in New York have signed up for the program, known as 287(g). But the idea has been pushed  by Assemblman Greg Ball, and is figuring into the election for sheriff in Putnam County. Two Republican challengers to Sheriff Don Smith, also a Republican, say they want to have Putnam officers trained in immigration enforcement.

Reporter Terence Corcoran reports today that challengers James Borkowski and Andrew DeStefano would have the sheriff’s department sign up. Smith said the department is too small to qualify.

The sheriff participated in a statewide conference with ICE last year, and said afterward that his department already worked closely with immigration authorities.

It is one program that works in some places, especially areas with large urban or large suburban populations, but there are other successful programs that are out there. … Some people think 287(g) is a magic wand that just will solve all the immigration issues in the United States. And many of these issues are still waiting for public policy at the national level, and for resourcing.

Smith said that in his experience, ICE issued detainer warrants when the person has been deported previously or when they have a felony conviction or multiple misdemeanors. The case at issue in Putnam involved a misdemeanor drunk-driving suspect who was released on bail.

The 287(g) program has high-profile critics in the law enforcement world. Most recently, Miami Chief John Timoney and a group of other city chiefs raised concern about blurring crime and immigration enforcement roles, calling instead for federal immigration reform.

Added: The new 287(g) guidelines are expected to clash with the tactics of Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, Ariz., who would have to renew his agreement with DHS. His department’s sweeps are under investigation for targeting Hispanics, and his crime-fighting record was scrutinized by the East Valley Tribune.