Posted on 11/21/2007 10:56:24 AM PST by Dubya
Federal immigration authorities have laid down new guidelines that will reduce the number of suspected illegal immigrants handed over from cities like Irving for possible deportation.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in Dallas e-mailed a set of guidelines to the Irving Jail asking officials not to refer suspected illegal immigrants to them if they were arrested for a Class C misdemeanor.
Because of that change, the number of suspects Irving turns over to ICE could drop by 60 percent, city officials said.
"We are surprised by this action," Irving Mayor Herbert Gears said. "In fact, we cannot imagine how the federal government will state that they will not enforce the law."
ICE spokesman Carl Rusnok that the move was made to use the agency's limited resources better and that the agency will still try to process people arrested for Class C misdemeanors when it can.
Class C misdemeanors include having an open container of alcohol in a vehicle, failing to appear in court for a traffic citation and writing a bad check.
Gears said police may still keep records of suspected illegal immigrants arrested for Class C misdemeanors.
Police spokesman David Tull said police won't change anything until they get something more official from ICE than an e-mail. But he said Irving police will follow the federal agency's lead.
"We always said ICE will be the one to determine any changes," Tull said. "Our procedure and guidelines are set, based on what they have. We can't change federal law or federal guidelines."
Irving's participation in the Criminal Alien Program has been a huge source of attention for the many deportations it generated. The referrals Irving made to ICE have resulted in more than 1,700 deportations since the program began in September 2006.
Hundreds of mostly Hispanic demonstrators marched on City Hall to protest the program, and on Tuesday their leaders praised the development as a victory.
"It's a great, great, great victory," activist Carlos Quintanilla said.
"They may say that," Gears said. "Their fight is with the federal government, and I am disappointed with the federal government. I feel like they've let us down."
The change applies to Oklahoma and the 128 counties in Texas that the Dallas ICE office oversees. Rusnok said the change was because other cities are starting their own programs, something that probably happened because Irving's many referrals got so much attention.
Grand Prairie, Garland and Farmers Branch police also have their own versions of the program.
City Councilwoman Beth Van Duyne said the development confirms what she has been saying about the need to deepen Irving's ties with ICE.
Van Duyne unsuccessfully tried to get other council members to have Irving enter into another ICE program that trains police officers to question people about their immigration status.
She has argued that this might be needed if other cities adopt the Criminal Alien Program and ICE no longer has the resources to continue full service to Irving.
"So exactly what I have been saying all along about this being a short-term solution has proved to be true," she said.
The guidelines that were e-mailed on Monday argued that advocates of tougher immigration enforcement could find good reason to not turn over people arrested for Class C misdemeanors for possible deportation.
A brief introduction to the guidelines said keeping the illegal immigrant here for prosecution could bolster immigration enforcement in the long run. A conviction could subject the immigrant to a formal removal, which would bring stiffer penalties if he or she tried to return to the U.S. after a voluntary removal.
"Dismissing criminal charges in favor of simply removing an alien criminal from the United States does not serve justice and undermines the CAP program," the guidelines say.
Because of that change, the number of suspects Irving turns over to ICE could drop by 60 percent, city officials said.
This should prove to anyone interested in the illegal Alian fiasco, that all the recent so-called effort by the Bush Administration to get tough on this issue is just smoke and mirrors.
Class C misdemeanors include having an open container of alcohol in a vehicle, failing to appear in court for a traffic citation and writing a bad check
Wow. So persons in this country illegally now have leave to drive drunk, fail to appear to answer charges laid against them, and write bad checks thereby stealing from American businesses, and the Federal Government has decided that they will do exactly nothing in response.
Simply f'ing lovely.
L
I am sure W is looking out for the best interest of the citizens in this matter. He is working with El Presidenta Felipe de Jesus Calderon & Vincent Fox to insure them that no citizen of Mexico, who has come to these states illegally, will be sent back to Mexico as long as he is president.
Welcome to the world's biggest banana republic, where the fedgov ignores half of the laws, and enforces the others with zero tolerance.
U.S. Constitution, Article 4 Section 4:
"The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government,
1. The act of invading; the act of encroaching upon the rights or possessions of another; encroachment; trespass.
the bushbots on this site go silent when this admininistrations illegal immigration outrages are revealed, time and time again. what a great and honorable man /sarc
I guess the strong retort back would be something like “well Clinton didn’t do anything”.
Hunter, Paul and Tancredo really see a problem with immigration and Fred to an extent, the others, the FRONT runners, just mention it as a footnote.
Too bad lil Calvin is doing this alone while millions, including our government is piZZing all over our flag, country and constitution.
Bringing up Clinton is the standard response on FR by those that don’t think we should ever say anything bad about “our guy.” Sure Clinton did nothing, but the exodus north has been ENCOURAGED by Bush, and Cherkoff has done his bidding to have the border enforcement stand down under his watch. The raids of the last 6 months cannot begin to rewrite the criminality of the last 6 years in this regard. I don’t believe Reagan’s 11th commandment meant being an apologist for treason. But maybe I’m wrong, since Reagan signed the 1986 act that started this mess.
You gotta just laugh sometimes. Bush is hostile towards the most crucial laws of our nation. He doesn't have to "state" his contempt for the rule of law, his actions speak louder than words. As long as he just "acts" counter to our laws without "stating" his contempt for the law, he is safe. It's remarkable.
Great response. Washington does not want fences or border security, they just want to keep up the appearance.
Maybe when the peso nears the dollar in value, we will join a union similar to the EU. Without a tinfoil hat, I better just leave it at that.
Thanks for saying it. I can’t believe how people play the Clinton and WOT card here when their boy is attacked. The bottom line is that GWB has absolutely no problem destroying our nations’ sovereignty. What does that say about his character?
Law is rapidly becoming non-law in US, which means US is becoming unlawful. Since unlawful actions and behavior are against the law and by law must be prosecuted, where does this leave much of the US goverenment?
Thanks, I’d have no problem pulling the lever for Duncan, Tancredo, or Fred. The last 6 years have shown us that letting ANY party have unchecked control is a recipe for disaster. Washington seems to do the least harm when there’s divided government. Since the dims are likely to maintain a majority in the houses, I think it’s critical that a conservative pubbie be elected POTUS, one for whom the issue of illegal immigration was/is a priority.
including our government is piZZing all over our flag, country and constitution
Don’t forget that by ignoring laws for illegals they are pi$$ing all over American citizens. They are also discriminating against their own citizens. Try getting away with drinking while driving, writing bad checks and identity theft, etc.
Not much longer.......wait for it.
“Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in Dallas e-mailed a set of guidelines to the Irving Jail asking officials not to refer suspected illegal immigrants to them if they were arrested for a Class C misdemeanor.
Because of that change, the number of suspects Irving turns over to ICE could drop by 60 percent, city officials said.”
Bush has done it again!
“This should prove to anyone interested in the illegal Alian fiasco, that all the recent so-called effort by the Bush Administration to get tough on this issue is just smoke and mirrors.”
Most of us knew this......Bush is 100% open borders.
“Welcome to the world’s biggest banana republic, where the fedgov ignores half of the laws, and enforces the others with zero tolerance.”
our POTUS is the best leader Mexico ever had!
“Don’t forget that by ignoring laws for illegals they are pi$$ing all over American citizens. They are also discriminating against their own citizens. Try getting away with drinking while driving, writing bad checks and identity theft, etc.”
Bingo!
First of all, ICE was said to have EMAILED a set of guide lines which means that any mid-level bureau-crat could have drafted them and sent them. What the city should do is to demand an official communication signed from President Bush him-self that this new policy was in fact the case! Then keep referring the illegals until the shiite hits the fan!
These illegals are breaking the law...I would like to see this policy tested in court so that we can see who the cock roaches are that initiated this policy!
ping
Anyone know how Ike got rid of them when he was Pres.?
Because we have a government that no longer follows the law of the land. (the constitution)
And that disregard for the rule of law goes for other things as well (declaring war as the constitution mandates)
Yet he still has cheerleaders, who haven't realized yet that they're putting their trust in the wrong place. And who attack anyone who dares to disagree with Clintonian style smears and intimidation.
Those good intentions were quickly taken advantage of and dismissed. That's why Congress went in and tweaked it in 1990, saying, "now it's fixed!"
Yeah, right!
LOL Nice img.
How Eisenhower solved illegal border crossings from Mexico By John Dillin WASHINGTON – George W. Bush isn't the first Republican president to face a full-blown immigration crisis on the US-Mexican border.
Fifty-three years ago, when newly elected Dwight Eisenhower moved into the White House, America's southern frontier was as porous as a spaghetti sieve. As many as 3 million illegal migrants had walked and waded northward over a period of several years for jobs in California, Arizona, Texas, and points beyond.
President Eisenhower cut off this illegal traffic. He did it quickly and decisively with only 1,075 United States Border Patrol agents - less than one-tenth of today's force. The operation is still highly praised among veterans of the Border Patrol.
Although there is little to no record of this operation in Ike's official papers, one piece of historic evidence indicates how he felt. In 1951, Ike wrote a letter to Sen. William Fulbright (D) of Arkansas. The senator had just proposed that a special commission be created by Congress to examine unethical conduct by government officials who accepted gifts and favors in exchange for special treatment of private individuals.
General Eisenhower, who was gearing up for his run for the presidency, said "Amen" to Senator Fulbright's proposal. He then quoted a report in The New York Times, highlighting one paragraph that said: "The rise in illegal border-crossing by Mexican 'wetbacks' to a current rate of more than 1,000,000 cases a year has been accompanied by a curious relaxation in ethical standards extending all the way from the farmer-exploiters of this contraband labor to the highest levels of the Federal Government."
Excerpted
Amen, brother.
I feel sick that I ever supported Bush.
Its some thing that I can’t understand. He knows how the people who put him in feel.
Ha. I have seen it so many times, and just NOW figured out what it meant! Must be gettin' smarter in my old age!
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