Dozens of illegal immigrants arrested, released in hours

KHOU 11 Houston ^ | April 20, 2006 | Vicente Arenas

[Snickering Hound]

There was a crackdown Wednesday and dozens of illegal immigrants were arrested.

Many of those same immigrants were released just hours later

It was the last thing they, and their families, expected.

"They are not criminals. All they're here for is to work for their family," said Mariz Gomez.

And that's what they were doing making wooden pallets at two different locations when federal agents swooped in and took nearly 70 suspected undocumented workers to this federal detention center in north Houston.

"Just for them to come in here and to just throw them back to where they go. That's not right for them," said Gomez.

Families 11 News spoke with feared the men mostly from Central American countries would be deported.

But that was hardly the case.

Just five hours later Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents began releasing the undocumented workers.

"I was surprised by the quick release," said a man who asked that his face not be shown. Several others made the same request.

It is not clear why these immigrants were released so quickly but workers say it may be because the 950-bed facility was severely overcrowded.

The workers say they were told the facilities were full. Sources inside the facility say the same thing and that agents have been ordered to release immigrants as soon as possible.

Some of the workers say there were other problems Wednesday.

They said computers went down and agents had to scribble information, in one case, failing to write in a court date altogether.

The men we spoke with promised to show up for their immigration hearings, still finding it hard to believe they were released so soon.

[KeyLargo]

"People for Eating Tasty Aliens?? They want us to eat them?"


yo quiero taco bell

http://www.everwonder.com/david/tacobelldog.html

[tobyhill]

It's not up to the DHS to adjudicate, that's the courts and ALL accused have the legal right to have their case heard before a jury, basic Constitutional Right for all persons accused within the US. Most of the time they will plea guilty and can be deported but for the ones who know the system they play it to the hilt.

[Menehune56]

There are thousands of immigration lawyers who tie up the process to ensure the system remains clogged. I doubt that minimum wage illegals pay for most of this legal help either. It's the employers.

[Mike Darancette]

Well publicized raid yesterday was merely catch and release.

I'm sure that they will be looking for new jobs and will not be using their old employer as a reference. This happens enough times and they will be begging to go home.

[tobyhill]

I agree, fix the legal loopholes and much of the problem will go away.

[tobyhill]

I agree, target the employers then the incentives will dry up for the accused illegal immigrants.

[Reagan is King]

It is not clear why these immigrants were released so quickly but workers say it may be because the 950-bed facility was severely overcrowded.

Then build another #$& facility!!! That's something I don't mind my tax dollars being used for. This raid was just for show and again reveals what a joke the immigration enforcement really is. I've had it with this garbage.

[concerned about politics]

I agree, fix the legal loopholes and much of the problem will go away.

How about making illegal entry automatically illegal?
Nah. An idea like this is way too genius for an American politician. They'd never figure it out.

[TKDietz]

This isn't quite as bad as the article lets on. These arrests were part of a major sting on IFCO Systems, a German based pallet services company. Hundreds of people were arrested across the country, even several of the managers who for the most part appear to be Americans. It's not good that they had to release so many illegals in Houston, but at least they've been charged and if they fail to appear for court they'll have warrants against them. And our law does say that you are innocent until proven guilty. It is entirely possible that some of these people were here legally.

The claim that these people had to be released because of jail overcrowding is certainly not entirely unbelievable to me. Our jails around where I live are in the same boat. We had people packed like sardines sleeping on concrete floors until recently when our jail administrators were ordered to keep the facility at or below rated capacity or be shut down. People today are getting signature bonds or really low bonds in cases where bonds would have been set at several thousand dollars only a few months ago. Those convicted of misdemeanors who before would have gotten jail time as part of their sentences pretty much have nothing to worry about as far as the possibility of jail now because there is no room for people to serve misdemeanor sentences. The jail is too full of those awaiting prison bed space that won't open up for months. This kind of thing is happening everywhere. We've been building new prisons at a record pace for almost thirty years now but we still can't keep up with the huge increase in prison populations we've seen over the same period.

The situation is getting bad. Not only are we not able to keep illegal aliens locked up for being in our country without permission, but we're having to let people go who have committed far worse crimes. With respect to the illegal aliens, a big part of the reason we're having to let even those who have committed more serious crimes go is because of prison and jail overcrowding, but another big problem is that INS just won't do their jobs. There are several illegal aliens in our jail right now who will plead guilty to serious misdemeanors and even some fairly serious felonies, but when they finish serving their jail time or plead to probation or suspended sentences, they'll be released from the jail even though INS knows these known criminals are there. They'll have an "INS hold" on them, meaning the jail is supposed to hold them so INS can come pick them up. The problem is that INS never comes and the county jail can't keep them both because they don't have the room and because immigration matters are matters of federal jurisdiction. If the feds won't come in and do their jobs, state and local facilities can't just keep these people forever for the feds who quite likely will never come and get them. It's bad enough that the feds won't do anything about those illegal aliens just here to work, but that they won't do anything about these known criminals sitting in our jails ready for them to pick up is absolutely unforgivable. The state and local guys can only do so much, and at least where I am illegal aliens get absolutely no special treatment when they are brought up on crimes under state and/or local jurisdiction. In fact, more often than not they are going to be punished more severely than locals who get in trouble because the police don't like illegals, prosecutors don't like them, judges don't like them, and jurors sure as heck don't like them.

[hosepipe]

BRILLIANT White House gambit..
Thats where this catch and release concept comes from, you know..
APPEAR SERIOUS, until we can legalize them ALL... (in stages)

America is getting wise to this ploy.. Within 5 years republicans will spit when they hear George Bush's name.. Its not an accident.. its ON PURPOSE.. If you think many of them will not vote in 2006/2008 you're in denial.. especially in Mexifornia..

[concerned about politics]

The claim that these people had to be released because of jail overcrowding is certainly not entirely unbelievable to me.

The INS has been warned about May 1st. Illegals will be all over the place. The INS has had time to prepare the military bases for the illegal influx.
N.O. was also warned about Katrina way in advance, but they did nothing to prepare. The INS will do the same. They'll complain about it afterwords.

[tobyhill]

It is illegal but it must be adjudicated before legally illegal. As weird as that sounds, it is a Constitutional Right of ALL people accused in the US.

[tumblindice]

http://www.nps.gov/malu/documents/amend14.htm
What substantive or due process right do you argue is being wrongfully denied to our uninvited visitors ("any person") by just tossing their Mexican a**** back where they came from?

[george wythe]

Again with your red herring. There is no proof whatsoever that any of these illegal aliens denied being illegal aliens. The article mentions a couple of excuses for the catch-and-release show, from 'overcrowding' to 'the computer made me do it.'

I know people who have been deported. It's quite a simple process. The illegal alien is shipped back to Mexico or Latin American very quickly.

Illegal aliens are not dummy. They know that lying to federal agent is a felony, risking lifetime ban from the US.

Furthermore, if an alien waits for a deportation order from a court, he will lose the right to return to the US for at least 10 years.

Therefore, most illegal aliens sign wavers to accelerate the deportation, and then they are back in less than two weeks, usually working at the same job.

As I say, DHS chief Chertoff has become a parody of himself.

[concerned about politics]

If you think many of them will not vote in 2006/2008 you're in denial

Yes, they will. The liberal areas do not require proof of citizenship to vote, and they've got them all registered and ready to be driven to the polls. The left can't win an election without social parasites.

[tumblindice]

PS And if you're going to start that "racist/bigot" nonsense, let me remind you that they've had on their signs: "Don't call us latinos or chicanos, we're Mexicans."
Not saying you would, but I'm tired of the poor debate from those in favor the status quo.

[Bernard Marx]

As Moynihan used to put it: "Boob bait for the bubbas."

[SuziQ]

There is plenty of room for skepticism.

Sure there is, especially if you're inclined to believe the worst, anyway.

[johnny7]

Chertoff speak today with forked-tongue.

[tobyhill]

I never said their rights are being wrongfully denied by my pointing out they have some rights and their very first right is they don't have to say anything to incriminate themselves and it's up to law enforcement to prove they're here illegally, even if they get caught red handed crossing. First mistake everyone makes is to think these people don't know the system but in reality probably better than most Americans.