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POLICE are being given the power to make instant roadside immigration cheeks on people stopped for driving offences.
Immigration Minister Paul Swain said the measure was among those covered by an agreement being worked on by police and the Immigration Service to share more information.
"[It will] give the police access to a round-the-clock facility to check the immigration status of, for example, drivers who are stopped for offending," he said.
The move comes as the Government signals a tightening of the procedures for dealing with foreigners who run foul of immigration authorities.
Mr Swain said he had ordered a review of the Immigration Act with the aim of improving the system for removing unwanted immigrants.
Collaboration between police and immigration staff at roadside checkpoints is under way and recently immigration officers found 22 overstayers during a two-day operation conducted by. highway patrol officers. The checks targeted seasonal workers, but police denied that they were targeting foreigners.
National MP Tony Ryall had complained that police were only stopping Indian and Asian drivers.