Feds Combing Jails For Illegal Immigrants
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A little-noticed program to remove criminal immigrants from the U.S. has local immigration officials boasting about big results as they comb jails, juvenile centers and courts across Washington state in search of deportable inmates.
Since their big push began last June, immigration officials have placed 4,453 legal and illegal immigrants from throughout the state into removal proceedings. Last year, criminals represented about one-third of all immigrants who were expelled from the Northwest region and the U.S.
The ramped-up effort comes at a time of heightened national security and amidst a public outcry over immigrants who commit serious crimes—including at least three high-profile homicides in the Puget Sound region in recent years.
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Confronted by an impaired federal immigration system, state and local governments have developed a patchwork of policies and practices for dealing with immigrants—particularly those here illegally. As a result, some jails work willingly with ICE; others merely tolerate its presence.
Under the so-called Criminal Alien Program, ICE officers identify and then request that jailers place holds on deportable immigrants before they are released from custody.
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A Mason County District Court judge raised concerns over ICE officers appearing outside her courtroom two recent weeks in a row looking for defendants.
In a posting on an electronic mailing list for municipal and district court judges, Judge Victoria Meadows said ICE officers have searched her foreign-language calendar and asked her Spanish interpreter to identify a defendant who was to appear before her. The interpreter declined.
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ICE’s Clark said his agency wants criminal immigrants penalized for their actions and tries to work closely with courts and local enforcement to make criminal and immigration laws work together.
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As part of the push to make the removal of criminal immigrants a priority, ICE transferred the program from its investigations division to its detention and removal operations last year and beefed up staffing and resources. “It’s turning out great results,” Clark said.
Immigration advocates warn immigrants who are not U.S. citizens that the surest way to avoid deportation is to stay out of trouble and out of jail.
“The most important thing to remember, if you do get arrested, is to stay silent—about everything,” said immigration attorney Adolfo Ojeda-Casimiro.
Simple question is key
The most crucial part of ICE’s criminal-alien program is information the immigrants themselves supply, based on a question people are routinely asked when booked into jail: Where were you born?
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Immigration officers process names of the foreign born to discover those who are deportable. That includes not just illegal immigrants but also legal green-card holders who may eventually be found guilty of certain kinds of crimes that make them deportable.
ICE officers place an immigration hold on them—guaranteeing ICE will be notified before such an immigrant is released—and immediately begin trying to deport them.
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Email Lornet Turnbull at lturnbull@seattletimes.com.
(Posted on May 13, 2008)
Comments
For one state - Washington alone - 4453 is not really a bad start.
Posted by Michael C. Scott at 6:43 PM on May 13
Generally, this sounds good, but its the “removal proceedings” part that bothers me. Does that mean they will have access to immigration lawyers? Wouldn’t surprise anyone would it, given the way illegals are usually pampered even if they are obvious criminals. And to where would they be deported, just south of the border so they could easily return? If these illegals are actually deported they should be dropped at the Guatamala border in far southern Mexico. Otherwise they would probably be back the next day.
Posted by Vlad The Emailer at 6:46 PM on May 13
There are so many absurdities in this story that it’s hard to know where to begin. Deporting a few thousand illegal aliens who commit crimes in addition to illegal entry, while letting a large and increasing number of other illegal aliens run loose, is rather pointless. Deportation does no good in any case; the deportees simply re-enter the country the next day without any real fear of punishment. Some people think it necessary to ask a brown-skinned person who doesn’t speak English where he or she was born to identify him or her as an illegal alien. Some people think that illegal aliens should have rights, and many of these fools are permitted to practice law. It seems that our country is destined to become part of Latin America. The only thing that might save us is a severe worsening of the economic disaster.
Posted by Gringo_Malo at 6:54 PM on May 13
Why is Homeland Security and Secty Chertoff only now starting to enforce some of the immigration laws? Bush has a little more than a half year left on his administration and is only now starting to enforce the laws. Bush has flatly refused to enforce the immigration laws during his tenure and allowed a massive invasion of illegals. Now that his favorble ratings are hovering around 20%, he appears to be allowing some token selective enforcement raids on a few illegal aliens in workplaces and jails. The change in motivation just may have something to do with his LEGACY. However, it’s too little, too late. Bush may well go down as our worst president.
Posted by John at 7:36 PM on May 13
They do jobs Americans won’t??? Those who work at the local temp agencies as laborer’s are experiencing hardship because of lack of work. I could not disagree more. Anyone noticed who does all the sheetrock, framing, landscaping and fast food work these days? It is usually a legal Mexican hiring illegal help. How about taking a look at those contractors. The failure of this “safety net” type employment affects us all. Anyone been to a Home Depot parking lot lately?? It is time to enforce the laws, not just those who are criminals, but those who employ illegals — usually the small-time contractor trying to save a buck. The money that job pays goes to Mexico and that employer must be severly penalized!
Posted by Stephen at 10:05 PM on May 13
“Meadows said she worries officers’ presence around and outside her courtroom could deter some defendants from showing up.”
There must be a good joke in that somewhere… I’ve heard this before, immigrants finish their jail sentences and then are deported. Something doesn’t seem quite right about that. That’s like double punishment. Can’t these people just be released to their home countries? Aren’t people given suspended sentences and early releases all the time? Not to mention us having to pay for the incarceration of someone who is just going to be deported. A criminal illegal could be anywhere tho. Immigration could even discover that Lornet Turnbull of the Seattle Times is an immigrant with a criminal record.
Posted by Dr. Smith at 10:16 PM on May 13
What is funny about this is that the Seattle Communist Times has had many articles about the poor illegals ad nauseum on the front page above the fold. Here we get an article about enforcing the law and they put it in the local section.
Comments on the Times blog are always running a million to one against illegals, but still our Times staffers try to persuade us that they are good folks who deserve our help.
What drivel.
Posted by Renae at 11:23 PM on May 13
“Meadows said she worries officers’ presence around and outside her courtroom could deter some defendants from showing up.”
___________
I’m public defender in Western Wash. Believe me, the defendants don’t show up anyway.
Posted by at 11:53 PM on May 13
I have an idea: there should be a severe jail sentence for merely breaking into the U.S.(and, of course, having no repect for our immigration laws or our COUNTRY for that matter). A good two or three year stretch would keep them futhur “in the shadows”(if I hear that cliche’ again I’ll puke) and when word get back to Mehiko, it will no doubt give them pause before swimming the Rio Grande or hiking through the desert. Fear of being caught illegally would act as a strong deterrent if they knew for a fact they were facing jail time in a gringo jail.
This coupled with a double-tiered wall with a deep moat with a road on either side of the moat and a guard station every mile or so should all but end this insane invasion that will eventulally cause us to cede the Southwest to Mexico. They’ll just take it via shear numbers..i.e. outnumbered and outvoted plus being what would eventually be a “NO GO” region of the country for Whites - like East Los Angeles is now. When do we get serioous and seal the border?
Posted by D. Andrews at 1:27 AM on May 14
Just a drop in the bucket, but at least it’s a start…
Posted by Jackers at 10:01 AM on May 14
Sounds like a step in the right direction. One of those “why didn’t I think of it” things. Hope this will be carried out across the USA. Here in Florida we’ve had a couple of Mexican illegals arrested for sexual assaults against children. I don’t care if the age of consent in Mexico is 15. I don’t care if it is a cultural difference. They won’t respect our laws, so good riddance.
Posted by Lyn at 10:45 AM on May 14
“The most important thing to remember, if you do get arrested, is to stay silent—about everything,” said immigration attorney Adolfo Ojeda-Casimiro.”
Aiding and abetting a criminal - this Latino attorney ought be disbarred. The first mistake is allowing non-Americans into American the education system, including law schools.
But I also worry that once deported, the once secured criminals will return with revenge on their minds. Revenge is a strong motive in the Latin American cultures. It might be best to transfer them to privately run prisons where it is profitable to fight any release. Failing that, as a society breaks down in the face of overwhelming crime and other social chaos is eventually forced into martial law and summary executions for simple crimes.
Posted by at 3:40 PM on May 14
Defendants who don’t show up to court out of fear of deportation can be dealt with the same way any other no-show is: conviction on the original charge, a “failure-to-appear” charge added, and a bench warrant for their arrest issued. Problem solved.
Posted by Michael C. Scott at 12:43 AM on May 16
the common figure for the cost of keeping an inmate incarcerated is $23k/yr., times 4453 equals $102 million/yr.
Posted by at 2:31 AM on May 18