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Focus on Freedom of Information: WARNING: This column will make you very angry!
TownHall.com ^ | Jan. 31, 2005 | Mark Tapscott

Posted on 02/02/2005 8:50:57 AM PST by JustAnotherSavage

Mark Tapscott January 31, 2005

WARNING: This column will make you very angry!

By law, illegal aliens convicted of heinous crimes — rape, murder, child molestation — are to be deported once they've served their jail terms. But lately, thousands of them have simply been let go. And Justice Department officials have refused to release a government database that could help journalists and private citizens find these aliens.

No one knows exactly how many of these criminals there are nationwide, but Cox Newspapers Washington Bureau journalists Eliot Jaspin and Julia Malone examined Georgia state prison records in 2002 and found numerous cases like convicted pedophile Miguel Angel Gordoba. He served a four-year sentence for molesting a 2-year-old girl in Alma, Ga., then disappeared following his release.

Federal officials are required by law to deport people like Cordoba when they are released from prison, but immigration officials are often nowhere to be found when the illegal alien felons walk away from jail. Federal investigators say there are thousands of Miguel Angel Gordobas. As scary a prospect as that is, this story gets worse. Much worse.

After finding so many cases in Georgia using state records, the Cox reporters decided to look at federal data to get a better idea of the scope of the problem. They submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the Justice Department's Office of Justice Programs seeking an electronic copy of all records collected on alien inmates in the government's Grants Management System. The GMS funds are used by Washington to reimburse state and local governments for the cost of incarcerating illegal aliens like Gordoba.

The Justice Department refused to provide any of the data sought by Jaspin and Malone. Why? For three reasons, according to Rachal Madan, Office of Justice Programs' general counsel: (1) the grants data are exempt from disclosure under the FOIA because it concerns matters "of internal significance in which the public has no substantial interest," (2) processing the data "would place an unjustifiable administrative burden" on the Office of Justice Programs, and (3) releasing the data would "constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of (the convicted illegal aliens') personal privacy."

In other words, the government refused to make the data available because the public — that's you and me, our families and neighbors — wouldn't benefit, the agency can't be bothered and it would be wrong to violate the criminals' privacy!

Such "reasoning" defies understanding. It is the most outrageous violation of the concept underlying the FOIA — taxpayers have a right to know what their government is doing with their tax dollars — I've seen in my two-decades-plus as a journalist in our nation's capitol.

This case also illustrates, however, the value of the FOIA. The public clearly has a "substantial interest" in knowing the identities of criminals among us; that's why we see "Wanted by the FBI" posters in every U.S. Post Office in America. It's why police so often ask the public for help in finding accused criminals who are at large. It's why the "Amber" system works so well in finding kidnapped kids.

Think what would happen if photos of these thousands of illegal alien criminals and other information about them gleaned from the data by Jaspin and Malone became available on Cox Newspaper's Web site. You can be sure lots these thugs would deport themselves as soon as possible. Federal officials, aided by citizens, thanks to the FOIA, would catch many more. My guess is that incoming Attorney General Alberto Gonzales disagrees with Madan's view that her agency can't be bothered to aid such an outcome by compiling the data sought by Jaspin and Malone.

As for Madan's fear of violating a convicted illegal alien's privacy, here's another thing to think about: Homeland Security officials admit they can't adequately protect our borders. Things are so bad in Arizona that citizens there are volunteering to help monitor the border.

How many terrorists lurk among those thousands of convicted felons who should have been deported? Which is more important — protecting an illegal alien's alleged privacy or finding and deporting somebody planning the next 9/11?

Cox Newspapers is appealing the Office of Justice Programsí denial, but FOIA appeals often take years to complete and always costs thousands of dollars that most media organizations simply don't have. You can help. Ask OJP's boss, Assistant Attorney General Deborah Daniels, to release the data sought by Cox. Her address is: 810 Seventh Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20001.

Distributed nationally on the Knight-Ridder Tribune wire

Mark Tapscott, a veteran newspaper journalist, is Director of the Center for Media and Public Policy at The Heritage Foundation, a Townhall.com member group.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: aliens; borders; criminalaliens; deportation; dhs; doj; foi; gubmintoutrage; illegalaliens; illegalimmigration; immigrantlist; immigration; lamestexcusesever; w2
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To: spodefly

We can hope!


41 posted on 02/02/2005 9:55:04 AM PST by JustAnotherSavage ("We are all sinners. But jerks revel in their sins." PJ O'Rourke)
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To: JustAnotherSavage; madfly

>>The Justice Department refused to provide any of the data sought by Jaspin and Malone. Why? For three reasons, according to Rachal Madan, Office of Justice Programs' general counsel: (1) the grants data are exempt from disclosure under the FOIA because it concerns matters "of internal significance in which the public has no substantial interest," (2) processing the data "would place an unjustifiable administrative burden" on the Office of Justice Programs, and (3) releasing the data would "constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of (the convicted illegal aliens') personal privacy."<<

If the public has no substantial interest, just who in the the hell is concerned about our personal safety. The Bush Administration is is showing me more and more everyday that they are intentionally looking to break down the "Rule of Law" in the US!

Since when do terrorists nad criminal from foreign countries have protection from "constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of (the convicted illegal aliens') personal privacy."

This is the kind of idiotic thing that is going to start
another damn civil war in America.


42 posted on 02/02/2005 10:00:02 AM PST by B4Ranch (Don't remain seated until this ride comes to a full and complete stop! We're going the wrong way!)
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To: Squantos
[ We're all behind GW here. We love our country. We despise the democratic socialists and their ideals. ]

but we tolerate republican socialists, generally..
We have names for them even... socialism is merely a symptom of democracy, border insurrection is another.. Where does Bush stand in all this.?...
(shining my fingernails)
The answer, of course, is obvious..

43 posted on 02/02/2005 10:19:19 AM PST by hosepipe (This propaganda has been ok'ed by me to included some fully orbed hyperbole....)
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To: JustAnotherSavage

Yeah I saw that......people who hide the crime of illegal immigration or any other "crime" behind the "racecard" are idiots . They have allowed themselves to fall victim to the divisional incrementalism of the socialists democrats.

I don't give a damn what yer heritage, race, sex , age etc is......crime is crime.

Check the bottom of my homepage for my opinion on "illegal" immigration.

That thread is just one sorry sack of crap calling everyone who doesn't agree with the originators ideals on the issue .... racists. It didn't invite debate at all. FR mods musta been sleeping to allow one individual to disrupt and insult vs what FR is about most of the time.... debate and learning the facts.

Stay safe !


44 posted on 02/02/2005 10:23:18 AM PST by Squantos (Be polite. Be professional. But, have a plan to kill everyone you meet. ©)
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To: nw_arizona_granny

Ping to make your blood boil.


45 posted on 02/02/2005 10:32:23 AM PST by DAVEY CROCKETT (Character exalts Liberty and Freedom, Righteous exalts a Nation.)
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To: hosepipe

Supporting ones President doesn't mean blind adulation of all they do . No President, even GW, is perfect or all our woes would have been solved yesterday...... I tell him in writing what I see as good and bad that he has done or is planning to do.

Pretty much all a citizen can do is squawk and vote when they don't like the way one leads.


46 posted on 02/02/2005 10:37:20 AM PST by Squantos (Be polite. Be professional. But, have a plan to kill everyone you meet. ©)
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To: DAVEY CROCKETT

Current polls (3)are still open on FR on this subject.

I find the results of this one interesting. 7.5 % say immigration is not a problem or favor open borders.



http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/poll?poll=10;results=1

Illegal immigration is the problem. 33.8% 1,008
Seal and militarize borders. 33.1% 986
Borders should be closed. 15.7% 467
Immigration should be reduced. 10.1% 300
Borders should be open. 4.1% 121
Immigration is not a big issue. 3.4% 101
100.2% 2,983
__________


47 posted on 02/02/2005 10:41:24 AM PST by JustAnotherSavage ("We are all sinners. But jerks revel in their sins." PJ O'Rourke)
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To: JustAnotherSavage

Any article that clearly documents the costs or the breakdown in the rule of law caused by illegal aliens usually stays FROBL-free. The celebrate the costs and breakdown, but can't make it too obvious.


48 posted on 02/02/2005 2:09:28 PM PST by spodefly (Yo, homey ... Is that my briefcase?)
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To: JustAnotherSavage

Oh, I'm sure bush will address this assult on American society in his speech tonight...........


Right?


Of course, maybe these criminals are just trying to find jobs Americans won't do?


49 posted on 02/02/2005 2:18:31 PM PST by WhiteGuy (The Constitution requires no interpretation, only enforcement.)
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To: WhiteGuy

We'll be watching tonight to see what is said, but so will the very rich illegal alien lobby.

We shall see who has been heard.


50 posted on 02/02/2005 2:47:25 PM PST by JustAnotherSavage ("We are all sinners. But jerks revel in their sins." PJ O'Rourke)
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To: sartorius

"Tapscott was on the Ron Smith radio show on WBAL, Baltimore yesterday and Smith couldn't believe this either. "


Really? I'm on the other coast,is Ron Smith knowledgeable about illegal immigration?

If we lose our ability to access FOIA documents, that is not good. I hate thinking the same people are running justice that ran it under Reno. They're not running it much different now it seems. And I liked Ashcroft. I don't think they know much of what goes on below them. Oh, heck, I don't know what to think anymore.


51 posted on 02/02/2005 2:52:23 PM PST by JustAnotherSavage ("We are all sinners. But jerks revel in their sins." PJ O'Rourke)
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To: dead

Oh! No wonder I was confuse-ed... Thanks.


52 posted on 02/02/2005 2:56:41 PM PST by k2blader (It is neither compassionate nor conservative to support the expansion of socialism.)
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To: JustAnotherSavage; All
WARNING: This column will make you very angry!

You are correct...I AM ANGRY....GRRRRRR!!!

(3) releasing the data would "constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of (the convicted illegal aliens') personal privacy."

What a pack of morons....invasion of privacy?  What about their illegal INVASION....

What about MEGAN'S LAW...ain't no invasion to put up the photos and addresses of PERVS....so certainly the ILLEGAL ALIENS have no rights....

We are doomed with this type of thinking....

The BUSH-BOT "Let um' all in" ZOTS" will be a-flying I presume.....

 

GRRRRR

53 posted on 02/02/2005 3:11:07 PM PST by underwiredsupport (for the shape of things to come!)
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To: Idisarthur; All
alt

"YOU MORONS!!!!"

BORDERS.....

 

LANGUAGE.....

 

CULTURE.....

 

AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

54 posted on 02/02/2005 3:14:15 PM PST by underwiredsupport (for the shape of things to come!)
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To: underwiredsupport

Just remember, they are only about a 7% minority.


55 posted on 02/02/2005 3:15:32 PM PST by JustAnotherSavage ("We are all sinners. But jerks revel in their sins." PJ O'Rourke)
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To: Squantos
Just when you think things are getting better, the FedGov goes and pulls this kind of crap.

L

56 posted on 02/02/2005 3:19:54 PM PST by Lurker ("We're all sinners, but jerks revel in their sins. " P.J. O'Rourke)
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Comment #57 Removed by Moderator

To: JustAnotherSavage

bump


58 posted on 02/02/2005 5:16:02 PM PST by 4.1O dana super trac pak (Stop the open borders death cult)
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To: Squantos
[ Pretty much all a citizen can do is squawk and vote when they don't like the way one leads. ]

The founders didn't agree with you, you're Indianess..
They provided the second amendment to make revolution LEGAL...

All its takes is a few braves... or some really pissed off squaws...

59 posted on 02/02/2005 6:31:17 PM PST by hosepipe (This propaganda has been ok'ed by me to included some fully orbed hyperbole....)
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To: hosepipe

Bump that!


60 posted on 02/02/2005 9:12:52 PM PST by JustAnotherSavage ("We are all sinners. But jerks revel in their sins." PJ O'Rourke)
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