Posted on 04/29/2005 5:32:42 AM PDT by NH Red
WHEN THE Department of Homeland Security is less serious about enforcing U.S. immigration laws than local police are, something is terribly wrong.
New Ipswich Police Chief W. Garrett Chamberlain has embarrassed the Federal department repeatedly since last summer by arresting numerous illegal aliens that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a division of Homeland Security, is unwilling or unable to handle. Now that he has come up with a novel approach to the alien issue — an approach that could be replicated easily by other police departments — Homeland Security could get a giant Spanish omelet in the face if others follow Chamberlain’s lead.
On April 15 the New Ipswich police arrested Jorge Mora Ramirez, an illegal alien from Mexico. Chamberlain charged Ramirez with criminal trespass. State law states that a “person is guilty of criminal trespass if, knowing he is not licensed or privileged to do so, he enters or remains in any place.” Chamberlain says Ramirez, as an illegal alien, is not “licensed or privileged” to be in the state, and is therefore trespassing.
Sounds like solid reasoning to us. If a judge in Jaffrey-Peterborough District Court agrees on Tuesday, police departments throughout New Hampshire could arrest illegal aliens just for being illegal aliens, which is something that only federal officials have had the authority to do.
ICE officials have not said what they intend to do with Ramirez. Last July they refused to detain or deport nine illegal Ecuadorians arrested in New Ipswich. The aliens were released, and who knows where they are now? In October ICE did detain 11 illegal Mexicans arrested in New Ipswich.
Agency spokesperson Paula Granier said of the Ramirez case, “When the time comes to take action, we will take whatever action is necessary.” We doubt it. The agency lacks either the resources or the will to deport all illegals, so it prioritizes them. Small-time border jumpers are ignored so the agency can pursue bigger fish. But far from making us safer, this policy encourages more border jumping and makes it harder to keep dangerous people out.
Last week Sen. Judd Gregg interviewed new Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff during a Senate subcommittee hearing. Gregg and other senators grilled Chertoff on why the department has failed to get a handle on illegal immigration. The secretary’s answers were direct, frank and scary. Though he is trying to improve the bureaucracy as quickly as possible, it was clear that it will take years to accomplish anything substantive.
Unfortunately, we might not have years. Jorge Ramirez seems to be just another Mexican laborer willing to risk arrest to make a better living for his family (though we don’t know this because all but one of his documents were forged). But by allowing illegal immigrants like Ramirez to cross our borders, Homeland Security gives terrorist needles a giant haystack in which to hide. If Washington is unwilling or unable to deal with this threat more quickly, the results could be deadly — which is why any political pressure brought by Chamberlain and others like him would be most welcome.
My favorite rant inducing topic.........I'll wait and see who shows up here.
This is why it is a Good Thing so support LOCAL initiatives and fight the federalization of local PDs, no matter if it is the goofballs in Portland, Oregon, or the true patriots in New Ipswich.
[[On April 15 the New Ipswich police arrested Jorge Mora Ramirez, an illegal alien from Mexico. Chamberlain charged Ramirez with criminal trespass. State law states that a “person is guilty of criminal trespass if, knowing he is not licensed or privileged to do so, he enters or remains in any place.” Chamberlain says Ramirez, as an illegal alien, is not “licensed or privileged” to be in the state, and is therefore trespassing.]]
Outstanding! BRILLIANT Strategy!
[[My favorite rant inducing topic.........I'll wait and see who shows up here.]]
You wont have to wait very long. "ClintonBeGone" should be here any second.
There have been a lot of illegals apprehended in and around New Ipswich.
Green card checks, anyone?
Officer Opie put them in the county lockup.
IC&E took custody withion 48 hours, and they were out of the country in a week.
Can't we all just get along?
Sounds like the local Police will have to buy the illegal aliens a one way ticket back to their homeland to get them out of the country.
Hey, I'm game! We could take up collections in every city... a fund-drive, so to speak. Air fare to Mexico is relatively cheap.....and we could hold them until AA or SW airlines ran specials. lol Just make sure the MM are at the border, so they don't slink back in! :)
There are many concrete companies in this area.
If I remember its just one that seems to want to hire these illegal aliens. maybe its time to put some pressure the on them also.
Article 13, which outlaws slavery, states as follows:
" Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."
Illegal aliens would probably be a lot less likely to come to America to find work if they knew that the work would be performed in the form of involuntary servitude at a penal facility, as punishment for their illegal entry. There they could truly be assigned to labor at tasks that "ordinary Americans didn't want to do".
They could even be leased out to the same landowners who employ them now. And at then end of their term of indenture, they could be paid "freedom dues" in the form of a paid one-way ticket home.
Look, we are a country of immigrants. I recently discovered that I know some of these guys. And they ain't bad people.
But that doesn't change the fact that we need to start getting serious about discouraging illegal entry, and that can't be left to the Minutemen, it has to come from policy.
ping
Until we seal the borders, it won't do any good to send back over the border. Kinda like throwing rats out the window. They come right back again.
ping
Let's keep this thread bumped, I'm hoping it will make the news everywhere else.
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