In the last month, Wake County detention officers have interviewed hundreds of inmates and started deportation proceedings as part of a program called 287 (g).

Some call it controversial because many advocacy groups say it can be used to unfairly target Latinos.

Thirteen detention officers have been trained for the program and have limited immigration powers.

Sheriff Donnie Harrison said that his biggest frustration is that dozens, if not hundreds, of the inmates booked into his jail have fake identities.

Joining the 287 (g) program is a way Harrison can figure out exactly who is being booked into the Wake County Jail.

“If there is a discrepancy on your date of birth, or you're being vague with us, or you just won't answer us, and you can't speak very good English, you'll probably go up to 287(g),” Sheriff Harrison said.

He invited a group of reporters to the jail in an effort to deal with the controversy by shining some light on what his detention officers do.

During the tour, three men were being processed by the specially trained detention officers.

Their task is to figure out who the inmate is through fingerprints or record checks, and to decide if the person is illegally in the country.

“If they find something says you are here legal, whether it's a workers pass or whatever it may be, then you'll be sent right back down,” Sheriff Harrison said.

Since the program was started four weeks ago:

*  321 inmates have been brought before the 287-g team of detention officers.

*  301 people have been ordered to be held for possible deportation.

According to Sheriff Harrison all of them were charged with serious felonies including five suspected murderers.

Immigration agents insisted that this program is not aimed at deporting law abiding residents who may be undocumented.

“The 287 (g) program will not only benefit the county, but it does in fact benefit the public itself by removing and taking away illegal immigrants that have criminal convictions,” Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agent David Rivera said.

Critics of the program have said it could encourage local police officers to unfairly target the Latino population.

But Sheriff Harrison says, based on the records they keep, he'll be able to monitor if police officers engage in racial or ethnic profiling.

“We're going to call that supervisor of that officer, it that happens, and say you might want to see what officer 'John Doe' is doing because the people he's bringing to our jail is 95 percent one race or the other, I will do that,” Sheriff Harrison said.