By KRWG News
New Mexico – The head of the New Mexico Sheriffs and Police Association says law enforcement agencies in the state are "all over the board" with policies about contacting federal immigration authorities when they suspect someone's in the country illegally.
Jim Burleson says some law enforcement agencies call immigration authorities when any illegal immigrant comes to their attention.
Other communities have policies forbidding local police from using manpower to enforce federal immigration laws.
New Mexico has no state law governing how police and sheriff's deputies should handle illegal immigrants.
Neighboring Arizona has a tough new law that requires officers, in the course of enforcing other laws, to question immigration status if there's a reasonable suspicion someone is an illegal immigrant.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.