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Cobb jail focuses on deportation (of illegal aliens)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | July 30, 2007 | MARY LOU PICKEL

Posted on 07/30/2007 9:39:44 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

Maria Rivera sits in the Cobb County Jail, facing deportation after a traffic stop.

If the Mableton mother of three, who is here illegally from Mexico, had been pulled over in any other county in Georgia, she likely would have bailed out and gone on with her life.

But Cobb County's jail is at the forefront of local enforcement of immigration laws, going a step further than many states and further than a new Georgia law requires.

Cobb has trained some sheriff's deputies to determine the legal status of all foreign born inmates at the jail, no matter how minor the charge. Cobb jailers now can start deportation proceedings under what's known as a "287-G" agreement with federal immigration authorities.

"The computers are up and running," Cobb County Chief Deputy Sheriff Lynda Coker said. "They can run inquiries on a federal database."

A new state law effective July 1 requires jailers statewide to determine the legal status of inmates charged with felonies or DUI and report illegal immigrants to federal immigration officials, but they can leave it at that.

In Cobb, jailers have been trained by federal immigration officials on how to inspect immigration documents.

"They can initiate the removal proceedings themselves," said Richard Rocha, a spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs and Enforcement, known as ICE. "Any time we can share resources with local law enforcement, it's a plus for public safety," Rocha said.

Proceedings against 42

In the four weeks since the program began, Cobb jailers and ICE have interviewed 86 inmates, placed immigration holds on 68 and started deportation proceedings against 42, Coker said. Deportation paperwork done by sheriff's deputies must be reviewed by an immigration officer before it goes to a judge.

Although it's sheriff's deputies, and not Cobb County Police Department officers, who are now processing deportation paperwork, the program is sending a shiver through the immigrant community.

Fear destroys any rapport the community had with police, said Jerry Gonzalez, head of the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials.

"This is having a very negative effect on overall public safety," Gonzalez said.

Muzaffar Chishti, director of the Migration Policy Institute's office at New York University Law School, agrees. The institute is a nonprofit Washington think tank that studies global migration patterns.

"People are reluctant to report crimes to the police, or be witnesses in criminal proceedings," Chishti said.

As for the agreement's effect on immigration patterns, it's hard to say. Since 2001, there's been an annual net increase of 500,000 illegal immigrants entering the country, Muzaffar said.

"There's no evidence these agreements have led to a decrease in illegal immigration," he said.

Coker stresses that Cobb jailers have had a cooperative relationship with immigration authorities for about 10 years and have reported illegal immigrants to them. What is happening in Cobb now, Coker said, is not much different, except sheriff's deputies can now pitch in on the paperwork.

Some Cobb inmates who have been flagged for immigration holds are charged with child molestation or drugs, weapons and alcohol-related offenses, Rocha said.

"With the success of the program, we've been able to identify people who may otherwise not have been flagged," he said.

Nationwide since 2006, local jailers have identified more than 20,000 illegal immigrants through cooperative agreements with the federal government like Cobb's, Rocha said.

Whether and how an inmate is flagged as illegal may differ in each case as it goes through the system. Some jails have dedicated ICE officers to identify illegal immigrants as they are booked. At others, ICE relies on local jailers to notify them if an inmate may be here illegally, Rocha said.

Inmates collected by ICE right away are usually those facing lesser charges, Coker said. Those with more serious charges usually go to trial and serve time if convicted, she said. It's up to ICE to deport them after they serve their time.

Traffic violations

Rivera was flagged because she had been deported before, in March 2006, after crossing the Mexican border illegally, Rocha said.

Rivera crossed again last year and went to Chicago with her husband and three children, said Enrique Farias, her roommate. About six months ago she came to Mableton with her children, Farias said.

His sister cared for the three children a few weeks while their mother was in jail, he said, until an uncle from Chicago came last week took the children home with him.

Rivera was stopped by a Cobb County police officer July 11 on her way to work as a house cleaner, Farias said. She is charged with driving without a license, having no proof of insurance and an expired tag, according to jail records.

Cobb County police Chief George Hatfield said his officer had no choice but to enforce the law with Rivera.

"It's sad if she's got the three children and everything, but she should have thought about that before she got behind the wheel of a car," he said.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Mexico; US: Georgia
KEYWORDS: aliens; amnesty; borders; deportation; georgia; gonzalez; illegals; immigrantlist; immigration; lawenforcement; wheresthefence
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If every county in the United States did this, there would be no illegal immigrant problem.
1 posted on 07/30/2007 9:39:48 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

If they dont have a passport and dont speak english its a damn real good chance they are here illegaly.Everycity and town should follow cobb county.The problem will go away.Hey give them bus fair to new haven!


2 posted on 07/30/2007 10:02:55 PM PDT by HANG THE EXPENSE (Defeat liberalism, its the right thing to do for America.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Nice to see some feel-good stories circulating through the media.


3 posted on 07/30/2007 10:24:54 PM PDT by primeval patriot (Let's go to the Off-World! Brought to you by the Shimago-Dominguez Corporation.)
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To: primeval patriot

Hahaha! Thanks for the laugh.


4 posted on 07/30/2007 10:26:39 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (Cuius testiculos habeas, habeas cardia et cerebellum)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
"It's sad if she's got the three children and everything, but she should have thought about that before she got behind the wheel of a car," he said.

Further, she should have thought about it before breaking into our country.

Actions have consequences Maria. Too bad, so sad.

5 posted on 07/30/2007 10:30:35 PM PDT by upchuck (The Hildabeaste fears Fred.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

“If every county in the United States did this, there would be no illegal immigrant problem”

There are many more counties jumping on the bandwagon!


6 posted on 07/30/2007 11:03:35 PM PDT by stephenjohnbanker ( Hunter/Thompson/Thompson/Hunter in 08! "Read my lips....No new RINO's" !!)
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To: primeval patriot

LOL!!


7 posted on 07/30/2007 11:04:12 PM PDT by stephenjohnbanker ( Hunter/Thompson/Thompson/Hunter in 08! "Read my lips....No new RINO's" !!)
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To: stephenjohnbanker; 2ndDivisionVet

This program should have been implemented nationwide on September 12, 2001.

Some states are making progress but Dubya and the Senate are still standing about with pants down around their ankles.


8 posted on 07/30/2007 11:15:12 PM PDT by primeval patriot (Let's go to the Off-World! Brought to you by the Shimago-Dominguez Corporation.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Rivera was stopped by a Cobb County police officer July 11 on her way to work as a house cleaner, Farias said. She is charged with driving without a license, having no proof of insurance and an expired tag, according to jail records.

And just think how many like this are on our nation's highways...no license...no insurance...no tags...and they always cry "the only thing we did wrong was enter the country illegally"..(add to that phony or stolen SS number...etc etc).....BS with a capital BS!!

9 posted on 07/30/2007 11:15:28 PM PDT by Niteflyr ("If you’re drawing flak, you know you're over the target".)
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To: primeval patriot

“This program should have been implemented nationwide on September 12, 2001.

Some states are making progress but Dubya and the Senate are still standing about with pants down around their ankles.”

As far as I can figure, Bush is implimenting DADDY”S “New World Order”


10 posted on 07/30/2007 11:21:40 PM PDT by stephenjohnbanker ( Hunter/Thompson/Thompson/Hunter in 08! "Read my lips....No new RINO's" !!)
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To: Niteflyr

B U M P


11 posted on 07/30/2007 11:22:12 PM PDT by stephenjohnbanker ( Hunter/Thompson/Thompson/Hunter in 08! "Read my lips....No new RINO's" !!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I am proud to be a resident of Cobb County, Georgia and am glad to see the county leading the way to solving the illegal immigration problem.

Like the previous poster stated, if all the other counties in the United States did this, this problem would be under far better control than it is now. Hats off to the county for leading the way on this. Hope to see other counties in Georgia and other states follow this example.

It really shows what a big lie the federal government is telling in saying that nothing can be done about this problem. The real problem is lack of will on the part of political elites in Washington. No such excuse making and foot dragging is going on here in Cobb County!!


12 posted on 07/30/2007 11:26:35 PM PDT by VRWCRick
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To: 2ndDivisionVet; Dane

This story does make one feel good. Deport the POS and her anchor babies too.


13 posted on 07/31/2007 2:17:21 AM PDT by Mn_PatriotGuard
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
For REFUSING to enforce U.S. immigration laws, Bush and all complicit Congressmen should be thrown out of office!
14 posted on 07/31/2007 2:21:06 AM PDT by Savage Beast ("History is not just cruel. It is witty." ~Charles Krauthammer)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

GRRRRREAT! Thanks for posting.


15 posted on 07/31/2007 2:24:42 AM PDT by PGalt
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

“Maria Rivera sits in the Cobb County Jail, facing deportation after a traffic stop.”

Let’s try the sob sister routine from a different angle.

Mary Smith sits in the emergency room, waiting her turn to see a doctor to treat little Jonhhy’s broken arm after he fell from a swing.

If the Cobb County mother of three, who is a third generation American, had known she would wait for three days to see a doctor, she said she would have set the arm herself and been done with it.

The receptionist called out “Number 342. Next!” A pregnant women, ready to drop her bundle, waddled into the treatment room and began cursing in Spanish about her long wait, followed by her ACLU attorney.

Mary looked at her number - 765 - and calculated that little Johnny might hold out till next Tuesday, if only she could get him something to drink and eat.

As if answering her prayer, a cafeteria worker walked through the emergency room offering sanwiches and milk to the waiting patients. Mary held out her trembling hand. The worker paged through the paperwork and matched Mary’s name to his list.

“I see you’re paying cash for your treatment. I need to collect, upfront, $75 for the tuna sandwich and $25 for the carton of milk. Food ain’t free, you know. Somebody has to pay for all the free sandwiches I hand out as per court order.”

Mary searched through her purse, looking to see if she had enough after paying a $200 fine for parking 20 minutes in a 15 minute zone. She found $40 and asked if she could owe the rest.

The attendant, a kindly man, nodded, opened the wrapper and gave her half a sandwich. “I can’t give you no change, though. The legislature raised the taxes on hospital sandwiches to 25%. Need the money to pay for child care, you know. Want a cigar? Only $25, after taxes. It’s for the children.”

Mary declined. She had given up cigars, beer, fast food, all taxed beyond her meager means. She looked outside and saw a police van writing $500 parking tickets. She knew she would need to give up parking next. Another bus from across the border pulled up, discharging its human cargo.


16 posted on 07/31/2007 5:09:46 AM PDT by sergeantdave
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To: sergeantdave

The illegal immigrant community doesn’t help the police now..


17 posted on 07/31/2007 5:16:14 AM PDT by Oldexpat
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To: 2ndDivisionVet; gubamyster; HiJinx

18 posted on 07/31/2007 5:26:50 AM PDT by Travis McGee (--- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com ---)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

“It’s sad if she’s got the three children and everything, but she should have thought about that before she got behind the wheel of a car,”

She should have thought about that before she dragged them over the border.


19 posted on 07/31/2007 5:30:07 AM PDT by Leatherneck_MT (Famously frisky)
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To: sergeantdave

You’re scaring me with that story.


20 posted on 07/31/2007 5:32:04 AM PDT by Leatherneck_MT (Famously frisky)
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