Federal immigration officials have nixed an ambitious plan to join together three police forces and a sheriff’s department in a plan to screen illegal immigrants at the Prince William County Adult Detention Center, forcing the applicants to apply again individually.

The decision by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement means the Prince William County Police Department’s plan to create a six-officer criminal illegal alien unit will be judged by itself and not with Manassas City and Manassas Park police and the Prince William Sheriff’s Department.

“We generally agree, the best way to do it is a central agreement, but ICE said they wouldn’t do that,” Prince William Police Chief Charlie Deane said.

However, the county expects its reworked bid to succeed soon and is selecting officers for the program, Deane said Tuesday.

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“I am confident that everything looks favorable for us to be approved, but we have not gotten the official word,” Deane said.

The county is in discussions with ICE on how the program will be enforced, when the training can be scheduled and how suspected illegal immigrants would be screened.

ICE does not comment about negotiations with localities, agency spokeswoman Ernestine Fobbs said.

The proposal would establish a new computerized screening center on the eastern end of the county at the Garfield Police Station off U.S. Route 1, Deane said.

The station would include an automated fingerprinting system designed to link quickly with the federal ICE database to look for people who have been previously detained or questioned on immigration offenses, he added.

Immigrant supporters who unsuccessfully sued to stop the plan in October have staunchly criticized the plan as unfair and vowed to bring further challenges when enforcement begins.

dgenz@dcexaminer.com