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Schwarzenegger to commute sentences for fewer illegal immigrant inmates, aides say
Sacramento Bee ^ | 2/24/10 | Kevin Yamamura

Posted on 02/24/2010 8:04:43 AM PST by SmithL

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration said Tuesday that the governor will not commute the sentences of thousands of illegal immigrant inmates even though majority Democrats sent him a budget bill this week that assumes he will do so.

As part of a special session on the state budget, the Legislature on Monday sent Schwarzenegger bills that Democrats said would solve roughly $2.3 billion of the state's $19.9 billion budget deficit.

One proposed reduction was $182 million in the next fiscal year based on Schwarzenegger commuting the sentences of illegal immigrant inmates and handing them to federal officials for deportation.

That figure is based on an estimate Schwarzenegger gave the Legislature in last year's budget, assuming the governor would commute the sentences of up to 8,500 noncitizen inmates.

Schwarzenegger officials now say that the previous figure was vastly overstated. They said Tuesday that the governor plans to commute sentences for only 850 illegal immigrants between now and June 2011. His Department of Finance believes the state will save about $19 million rather than $182 million.

(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; US: California
KEYWORDS: foreigncriminals; goldenstate; illegalaliens

1 posted on 02/24/2010 8:04:43 AM PST by SmithL
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To: SmithL

Will he send them back to Mexico? If not, why not?


2 posted on 02/24/2010 8:05:56 AM PST by RC2
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To: SmithL
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration said Tuesday that the governor will not commute the sentences of thousands of illegal immigrant inmates even though majority Democrats sent him a budget bill this week that assumes he will do so.

I think my head is going to explode. Let me see if my pea-brained Tea bagging brain can get a grasp on this.

If I come to this country illegally, and commit a crime - I get my day in court, and if found guilty am set free by virtue of being here illegally.

If I am a American citizen, and commit the exact same crime, at the exact same time, on the exact same person, in the exact same way ... I get my day in court and I go to jail.

How can I apply for the same rights illegals have? I mean, I would save a fortune on taxes and medical insurance. I would get in-state tuition at most state colleges, plus qualify for scholarships that citizens cannot get. I'd get welfare benefits and social security benefits ... and it's all free.

3 posted on 02/24/2010 8:13:01 AM PST by Hodar (Who needs laws .... when this "feels" so right?)
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To: RC2

Will he send them back to Mexico? If not, why not?

One proposed reduction was $182 million in the next fiscal year based on Schwarzenegger commuting the sentences of illegal immigrant inmates and handing them to federal officials for deportation.

From article above


4 posted on 02/24/2010 8:13:48 AM PST by BradtotheBone (Moderate Democrat - A politician whose voting record leans left and whose vote can be bought.)
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To: Hodar

And no car insurance, or car registration, or car inspection, or worrying about getting arrested for identity theft, no local, state or federal taxes to pay, illegals get a place in line for organ transplants...the list goes on and on and on...

“everything free in america”


5 posted on 02/24/2010 8:25:41 AM PST by GOPsterinMA (Camelot sleeps with the fishes!)
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To: RC2
"Will he send them back to Mexico? If not, why not?"

Constitutionally, it not within a Governor's prerogative to expel someone from the country. A state's only available option is to turn them over to ICE. The illegal immigrant's immigration disposition remains solely with purview of the federal government.

6 posted on 02/24/2010 8:27:59 AM PST by OldDeckHand
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To: RC2

Constitutionally speaking, the states have the right to repel invaders. Sending them back to their country of origin would seem to fall within that purview.


7 posted on 02/24/2010 8:36:44 AM PST by RideForever
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To: RC2

Illegal immigrants are already encouraged to commit crimes by the Democrats because of how difficult is is to arrest and convict them. Illegal immigrants also get all the benefits of the welfare state and have none of the obligations of citizenship. If these are drug dealers and violent criminals and they are deported with their sentences commuted they will just come back to the US and be back in business.


8 posted on 02/24/2010 8:41:06 AM PST by detective
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To: RC2

Illegal immigrants are already encouraged to commit crimes by the Democrats because of how difficult is is to arrest and convict them. Illegal immigrants also get all the benefits of the welfare state and have none of the obligations of citizenship. If these are drug dealers and violent criminals and they are deported with their sentences commuted they will just come back to the US and be back in business.


9 posted on 02/24/2010 8:41:19 AM PST by detective
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To: OldDeckHand; RC2
Constitutionally, it not within a Governor's prerogative to expel someone from the country. A state's only available option is to turn them over to ICE. The illegal immigrant's immigration disposition remains solely with purview of the federal government.

People who believe this are wrong. I don't remember the article but the constitution says that the state has sole determination if the people in their state are citizens or not. In other words the states have the responsibility of determining if someone is residing in their state illegally, therefore they have the right to deport them. Like everything else in the constitution the feds have tried to pre-empt this power from the states.

10 posted on 02/24/2010 8:51:49 AM PST by calex59
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To: calex59
"I don't remember the article but the constitution says that the state has sole determination if the people in their state are citizens or not"

That's right. A state has the sole authority to determine who is a citizen of that state. But, a state can't make a determination with respect to immigration, naturalization or any other question of citizenship status.

This is why immigration cases are herd in federal court, not state court.

11 posted on 02/24/2010 8:57:36 AM PST by OldDeckHand
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To: SmithL
As of Dec. 31, the state had 22,173 inmates with an immigration hold or a likely immigration hold – 13 percent of all prisoners. The governor is considering for commutation only those with one felony for a nonviolent, nonsexual and nonserious crime.

So, by the numbers shown above, we have 21,323 ILLEGALS that are in jail for violent, serious or sexual offenses that we are having to shell out large amounts of money to keep incarcerated.

Questions to be asked: What happens when these prisoners reach their release date? Where are they released to? Why is the Mexican government not being held accountable for their citizens?

I say, ship them all back, tell the Mexican government that if we are going to have to take care of their people, (we are doing now already) then we demand a return. For every 100 illegals we catch on our side of the border, we will take 100 square miles of Mexican territory. Maybe then, when faced with extinction, they will stop the outflow. We can then use the land gained for corporate expansion that is not impeded by all of the restrictions currently held for businesses here in CA. Or, use it to build a prison to hold all of the previously mentioned inmates.

12 posted on 02/24/2010 9:00:43 AM PST by alexandria ("If this be treason, make the most of it!" Patrick Henry)
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To: calex59

OK....if the States can’t deport them, send them to Washington DC and let the Feds handle them. Drop them off at the White House front lawn.


13 posted on 02/24/2010 9:35:39 AM PST by RC2
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