Posted on 05/13/2006 8:07:04 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
PENDLETON, ORE. - Out of ideas and low on cash one cold morning, the man with the biggest badge in town put his meaty fingers on a keyboard and tapped out a letter to the leader of Mexico.
"Dear Precidente (sic) Fox," it began.
"My name is John Trumbo. I am Sheriff of Umatilla County in northeastern Oregon." Illegal immigrants "from your country" who committed crimes here, the letter said, cost Americans lots of money.
Last year, more than 360 of "your citizens" spent time in jail "at a cost of $63 a day which equates to a request for payment of $318,843," the letter concluded. "At this time, you will not be billed for medical, dental and transportation costs. Your prompt attention to this request will be very much appreciated."
Three months later, Trumbo reports, Vicente Fox still has not paid up. The Mexican president has issued no response.
The silence has reverberated at the Umatilla County Justice Center. Here, the influx of Mexican immigrants — many of them illegal and a portion criminal — has become an increasingly prickly issue.
To anyone who asked, Trumbo explained:
The county has a daily jail capacity of 252 inmates but can afford staff and services for only 135 inmates. The sheriff's office should have a minimum of 27 patrol officers but can fund only nine. Between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m., no patrol officer is on duty.
"When people call the police, they expect to see the police," Trumbo says. "They see it on TV all the time. But there are times when I can't send anybody, because I don't have anybody because I don't have the money."
One reason, he says: The department spends much of its $6.5 million annual budget on apprehending and jailing illegal immigrants.
He has no problem with Hispanics personally, he says. "Some of my best friends," Trumbo says, "are Hispanic." He just wanted to tell someone, anyone, about the situation.
In the past 16 years, the Hispanic population in 20 of Oregon's 36 counties has as much as tripled.
Many of them end up in places like Umatilla County, where they take the hardest farming jobs or work in food-processing factories.
The population increase has led to a corresponding rise in the number of undocumented immigrants who commit crimes. Trumbo says between nine and 15 of his jail beds are occupied each day by illegal immigrants from Mexico.
The majority of jailed illegal immigrants are in for property crimes. One man arrested on burglary charges, Juan Flores-Romero, has been in the Umatilla County jail 20 times. Flores-Romero, 62, was deported in almost every instance.
Says Trumbo: "The old joke among the immigration agents who shuttled these guys back to Mexico was, 'I hope we make it back to Pendleton before they do.' "
Some found the sheriff's letter disturbing. Shelley Latin, an attorney who represents mostly low-income Hispanics, says Trumbo's letter hinted at a type of racism pervasive within local law enforcement.
"The implication is that Hispanics are the cause of the crime problems here," Latin says. "It suggests that if Hispanics were all taken away, we would suddenly be crime-free. That's just silly."
The Mexican consul general for Oregon, Fernando Sanchez Ugarte, who received a copy of the letter, says he doesn't know whether Fox will respond.
That is great!
R O T F L M A O
You don't get to call me anything, moron.
Sweet !
No, Shelley. What part of "illegal immigrant" do you not understand?
You're right. Falling down funny.
And soon to be a classic.
You might not advocate violence but you're mighty big on censorship.
Sure, I guess he can probably send Vincente Fox a bill, but that's worth about as much as if I were to send you a bill for the time I spent reading this thread. No one (beyond the crazier element on threads like this one) would agree Fox is in any way obligated to pay the bill.
Fox probably gets a good laugh out of these billings. The United States' role is to provide, not take. He's never been given a reason to believe otherwise.
BTW, the money from remittances is expected to surpass profits from Mexico's oil industry this year.
If you're referring to post # 86, I did not even see that before it was removed by moderators - I am not a moderator, but the most common definition of "censorship" does not apply to FR - I am not in favor of government censorship except for national security.
(Denny Crane: "Every one should carry a gun strapped to their waist. We need more - not less guns.")
"No one (beyond the crazier element on threads like this one) would agree Fox is in any way obligated to pay the bill."
I could not have said it better myself.
That's an amazing number. But when you consider that 11 million illegals equals about 12% of Mexico's population it's not surprising.
"Have Fox send the equivalent in oil."
How is five gallons going to help the U.S.?
deservedly so!
Or, the states, counties ect. could send their bills to a collection agency, which, being a private party, could send the bills to the foreign entity.
Don't get too happy - it's obvious that our opinions of what constitutes "crazier elements" couldn't differ more.
The states, counties, cities and colonias along the Mexican border are all having relations, intercourse and trade with the foreign country of Mexico.
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